Skip to main content

Full text of "The chemist and druggist [electronic resource]"

See other formats 


Fifth  Year. 


SATUKDAY,  NOVEMBER  2,  1901. 


No.  59. 


IRevtew  of  tbe  flDontb. 


The  annual  meeting  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of 
Ireland  was  held  on  October  7.  The  President  (Mr.  G.  D. 
Beggs)  gave  an  interesting  address,  in  which  he  complained 
of  the  difficulty  the  Society  has  in  carrying  out  its  statutory 
duties,  owing  to  the  bias  of  country  magistrates.  He 
thought  that,  if  this  condition  of  things  exists  much  longer, 
it  may  be  necessary  for  the  Society  to  leave  the  carrying  out 
of  the  Act  with  the  Government.  The  net  increase  of 
registered  persons  during  the  year  has  been  fifty-one.  The 
financial  statement  showed  that  law-expenses  were  a  much 
heavier  item  than  usual. 

*  *         *  * 

Mr.  H.  Conyngham  raised  the  question  of  dividing  the 
Final  examination  into  two  parts,  and  of  establishing  day 
classes  in  chemistry  at  the  Society's  house.  The  new 
Council  is  to  consider  both  these  questions.  Mr.  Kelly  pro- 
posed a  simple  way  of  dealing  with  the  bogus-company 
question  by  adding  a  definite  clause  on  the  matter  to  the 
Pharmacy  Act  (Ireland).  The  proposal  met  with  the  unani- 
mous support  of  the  meeting.  Many  uncomplimentary  things 
were  said  during  the  discussion  anent  the  patent-medicine 
trade,  and  the  practice  of  affixing  a  non-responsibility  label 
to  the  packages  seems  to  be  a  growing  one  in  the  Dublin 
district. 

The  Medical  Press,  in  a  recent  number,  takes  notice  of 
remarks  made  by  the  President  as  to  the  sale  of  poisons  by 
unqualified  persons,  but  complains  that  he  was  "  silent  on 
the  many  deaths  that  the  counter-prescriber  has  caused 
through  his  ignorance."  With  a  section,  of  the  medical  Press 
this  appears  to  be  considered  one  of  the  most  pressing 
grievances  of  the  profession,  but  it  only  arises  from  an 
exaggerated  notion  that  counter-prescribing  exists  to  a  very 
large  extent,  and  that  it  is  in  some  way  an  illegal  practice. 

*  *         *  * 

There  is  a  movement  on  foot  in  Dublin  to  make  a  pre- 
sentation to  Mr.  J.  I.  Bernard,  the  Secretary  of  the  Reception 
Committee  of  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  Sub- 
scriptions were  confined  to  members  of  the  committee,  and 
the  appeal  met  with  such  an  enthusiastic  reception  that 
the  list  was  closed  within  a  few  days.  Mr.  Frank  Gill,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Presentation  Committee,  is  making  the 
arrangements  for  the  presentation,  which  will  take  place  on 
Friday,  November  8. 


The  Chemists'  and  Druggists'  Society  of  Ireland  held 
their  first  sessional  meeting  on  October  25.  One  of  the 
subjects  taken  into  consideration  was  the  providing  of 
classes  for  registered  druggists  at  the  Working  Men's 
Institute  and  School  of  Science  and  Art,  Belfast.  The 
pharmaceutical  classes  have  been  taken  over  by  the  new 
Municipal  Technical  Institute,  and  a  special  department  of 
chemistry  and  pharmacy  formed.  The  advantages  now 
offered  to  northern  pharmaceutical  students,  both  as  regards 
efficient  teaching  and  lowness  of  fees,  are  equal  to  those  of  any 
technical  school  in  the  kingdom.  Mr.  T.  Harper,  pharma- 
ceutical chemist,  is  the  teacher  of  the  pharmacy  classes. 

*  *     >     #  ■      .  ♦  i 

Mr.  John  Parker,  druggist,  Limerick,  was  on  October  11 
sued  to  recover  501.  for  the  loss  of  a  horse,  due,  it  was 
alleged,  to  negligence  in  selling  as  nitre  some  poisonous 
substance.  Judge  Adams  characterised  the  action  as  "  the 
most  unfounded  he  ever  heard  of,"  as  the  animal  was  found 
to  have  died  of  bursting  of  the  diaphragm.  Professor 
Tichborne  found  minute  traces  of  arsenic  in  the  stomach  of 
the  horse,  but  the  Judge  remarked  that  in  chemistry  a 
"trace  "  was  the  "shadow  of  a  shade."  This  case  admirably 
illustrates  the  risks  to  which  a  chemist ,  is  exposed  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties. 

'  ',<*■'. -,*.•< ?,; ''#:  >/.>  * 

An  illustrated  article  on  "Vaccination,"  by  Dr.  W.  H. 
Martindale,  was  given  in  the  G.  %  D.  on  October  12,  its  ap- 
pearance synchronising  with  the  epidemic  of  vaccination  in 
London. 

Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Ireland. 

Pharmaceutical  Licence  Examination  — The  following 
passed  at  the  recent  examination  : -H  Harrison  (A.  Mayne, 

E.  B.  P.  Staunton),  J.  J.  Cole,  J.  D.  Hamilton,  R.  H.  Lowe, 
M.  R.  J.  Hayes,  A.  T.  Bennett.  Eight  candidates  were 
rejected. 

Registered  Druggist  Examination  (at  Dublin).— The  fol- 
lowing passed :— j.  T.  Devin,  A.  Warren,  and  M.  B.  Widdess. 
One  candidate  was  rejected. 

Registered  Druggist  Examination  (at  Belfast). — The  fol- 
lowing passed :— G.  Black,  G.  Cheevers,  Jane  Cunningham, 
A.  V.  Johnstone,  F.  W.  McCully.  Three  candidates  were 
rejected. 

Pharmaceutical  Assistant  Examination. — T.  Johnston  and 
I.  J.  Sheridan  passed.    One  candidate  was  rejected. 

Preliminary  Examination. — The  following  have  passed  : — 

F.  F.  Stafford,  Ethel  S.  McKinney,  M.  A.  O'Callaghan, 
S.  J.  Hamilton,  A.  W.  Young,  J.  Behan,  W.  Cromie.  Seven 
candidates  were  rejected. 


82        IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST      November  2,  1901 


{Pharmaceutical  Society  of  3relano. 


COUNCIL-MEETING. 

THE  Council  met  at  their  house,  67  Lower  Mount  Street, 
Dublin,  on  Wednesday,  October  2.  The  President  (Mr. 
George  D.  Beggs)  presided,  and  the  other  members  who 
attended  were  the  Vice-President  (Mr.  Bernard),  and  Messrs. 
Grindley,  Simpson,  Kelly,  Baxter,  J.P.  (Coleraine),  Porter, 
Brown,  and  Professor  Tichborne. 

For  Better  Attendance. 

Before  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  signed, 
The  Vice-President  apologised  for  his  absence  from  the 
last  meeting,  which  was  owing  to  an  accident.  He  was  not 
surprised  that  the  notice  of  motion,  which  he  had  given  for 
the  last  meeting,  was  ruled  out  of  order  by  the  President, 
after  he  (Mr.  Bernard)  had  looked  into  the  law  bearing  on 
the  subject.  He  wished  to  explain  that  his  sole  object  in 
giving  the  notice  was  to  obtain  a  larger  attendance  of 
members  of  the  Council,  and  to  prevent  abortive  meetings ; 
and  in  his  effort  to  do  this  he  was  joined  by  the  President, 
and,  he  believed,  all  the  other  members  of  the  Council.  He 
thought  the  notice  should  appear  in  the  minutes  with  the 
discussion. 

The  Registrar  said  he  did  not  mention  the  matter  in  the 
minutes,  because  he  thought  the  notice  should  be  treated  as 
one  that  was  dropped — not  moved  at  all. 

The  Vice-President  :  It  was  mentioned  in  the  reports  of 
the  meeting  in  the  journals. 

The  minutes  were  then  amended  by  the  insertion  of  a 
reference  to  the  fact  of  the  Vice-President's  notice  of  motion 
having  been  ruled  out  of  order,  and  were  signed. 

The  late  President  McKinley. 

The  President  said  that  since  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Council  President  McKinley  had  been  assassinated.  The 
event  was  one  of  which,  he  thought,  they  should  take 
cognisance,  and  he  there  moved  the  following  resolution  : — 

That  the  Council  at  this  their  first  meeting  since  the  deeply 
lamented  death  of  the  late  President  McKinley,  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  desire  to  place  on  record  their  sincere  sym- 
pathy with  the  Government  and  people  of  the  United  States,  and 
their  horror  at  the  dastardly  crime,  which  has  caused  profound 
sorrow  not  alone  in  the  United  States,  but  also  throughout  the 
whole  British  Empire. 

The  motion  was  unanimously  passed,  and  it  was  ordered 
that  a  letter  of  condolence  should  be  transmitted  through  the 
American  Consul. 

Councillors  Resign. 

The  President  announced  that  he  had  received  letters 
from  Mr.  J.  W.  Brittain  and  Mr.  Johnston  Montgomery 
resigning  their  positions  on  the  Council.  A  letter  had  also 
been  received  from  Mr.  W.  P.  Wells  regretting  he  was 
unable  to  re-consider  his  resignation. 

The  President  said:  I  need  not  say  that  taking  these 
three  resignations  together  we  deeply  feel  the  loss  of  these 
gentlemen.  All  that  we  can  do  is  to  initiate  the  new  blood 
and  get  them  into  harness  as  soon  as  possible. 

Mr.  Binks  Resigns. 

A  letter  from  Mr.  F.  N.  Binks,  F.C.S.,  resigned  his  position 
of  lecturer  in  theoretical  chemistry,  as  he  had  accepted  an 
appointment  in  the  laboratory  of  Messrs.  Brady  &  Martin, 
of  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

On  the  motion  of  the  Vice-President,  seconded  by  the 
President,  the  following  resolution  was  passed  :— 

The  Council  regret  very  much  their  loss  of  the  services  of  Mr. 
Binks,  which  have  been  most  valuable  to  the  Society,  and  to  the 
students  of  the  Elementary  Chemistry  School,  as  exemplified  by 
the  great  success  of  his  pupils.  The  Council  wish  Mr,  Binks 
every  success  in  his  new  appointment  in  England. 

Correspondence. 

The  Registrar  stated  that  second  registered  letters, 
addressed  to  the  following  members  of  the  Society  had  been 
returned  from  the  Post  Office :  Messrs.  Edward  Best,  Charles 
William  Brooks,  Philip  Flood,  George  Boylan  Mackillip,  and 
Robert  J.  Rousselle. 


A  letter  was  received  from  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the 
British  Pharmaceutical  Conference  Reception  Committee 
thanking  the  President  and  Council  for  having  granted  the 
Committee  the  use  of  the  Society's  house  for  their  meetings. 
The  President  said  the  Council  had  had  great  pleasure  in 
doing  so. 

School  Entries. 

On  the  motion  of  the  Vice-President,  seconded  by  the 
President,  it  was  resolved  that  entries  from  students  for 
joining  the  School  of  Chemistry  be  received  so  that  the 
student  shall  join  on  January  1,  on  April  1,  and  on  October  1, 
in  each  year ;  this  regulation  to  come  into  force  on  January  1, 
1902. 

Elections  and  Appointment. 

On  the  motion  of  the  President,  seconded  by  Mr. 
Grindley,  Mr.  P.  P.  Lee,  of  Cavan,  was  elected  a  member ; 
and  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Mofpitt,  seconded  by  Mr.  Tate, 
Mr.  Mawhinney,  of  Belfast,  was  elected  a  member. 

Mr.  Thomas  A.  Shegog,  of  St.  Mary's  Road,  Dublin,  was 
appointed  lecturer  on  theoretical  chemistry  and  physics  for 
the  term  of  one  year. 

Other  business  having  been  disposed  of,  the  Council 
adjourned. 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 

The  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  at 
67  Lower  Mount  Street,  Dublin,  on  Monday  evening, 
October  7,  at  8  o'clock,  Mr.  George  D.  Beggs  (President)  in  the 
chair.  He  was  accompanied  by  the  Vice-President  (Mr. 
Bernard)*  the  Hon.  Treasurer  (Mr.  Grindley),  and  by  Messrs. 
Kelly,  Batt,  and  W.  Corrigan  (members  of  Council).  The 
minutes  of  the  last  general  meeting  were  confirmed.  The 
Registrar  (Mr.  Ferrall)  read  letters  of  apology  for  inability 
to  attend  the  meeting  from  Messrs.  J.  Turner  and  Dr.  J.  C. 
McWalter. 

Council  Election. 

The  President  announced  that  the  following  gentlemen 
had  obtained  the  greatest  number  of  votes,  and  were  conse- 


Mb.  J.  Smith  (Rathgar), 
Pharmaceutical  Chemist  (Ireland),  Chemist 
and  Druggist  (Great  Britain). 


quently  declared  elected  members  of  Council : — Messrs. 
Patrick  Kelly  (83),  John  Smith  (79),  George  H.  Grindley 
(78),  George  Brown  (72),  Richard  Blair  (Cork)  (69),  Henry 
Vincent  Golden  (Birr)  (63),  and  James  Tate  (58).  Messrs. 
Blair,  Goldon,  and  Smith  replace  Messrs.  Brittain,  Mont- 
gomery, and  Wells,  resigned. 

The  Society's  Silver  Medal. 

Mr.  John  Robert  Wilson,  of  Kingstown,  was  called  into 
the  Council-room,  the  President  presented  him  with  the 
Society's  silver  medal  for  his  answering  at  the  examinations, 
which  was  the  best  during  the  last  year. 


November  2,  1901 


IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST  83 


PKBSIDENT'S  ADDRESS. 

Mr.  BEGGS  then  said  :  I  regret  that  I  have  been  unable  to 
prepare  an  address  on  any  subject  of  pharmaceutical  interest 
to  place  before  you,  and  shall  content  myself  by  giving  you 
a  resume  of  the  work  done  by  the  Council  during  the  past 
year.  Before  doing  so,  there  are  some  points,  arising  out  of 
my  report,  on  which  I  would  like  to  say  a  few  words.  The 
first,  and  most  important  one — and  the  most  vital  to  the 
interests  of  every  qualified  chemist  and  to  the  Society — is 
the  enormous  difficulty  your  Council  has  in  obtaining  con- 
victions for  breaches  of  the  pharmacy  and  poison  laws 
throughout  the  country  districts,  notwithstanding  that  the 
most  conclusive  evidence  may  be  brought  forward,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  bench  being  occupied  by  a  magistracy  who 
in  most  cases  are  in  sympathy  with  the  local  traders. 


Me.  Henry  Vincent  Goldon, 
Pharmaceutical  Chemist. 


The  enormous  expenses  entailed  in  law  costs  by  your 
Council  in  the  seemingly  futile  attempts  to  have  the  laws 
respected  will  more  forcibly  point  this  out  to  you  than 
any  words  of  mine ;  and  this  leads  me  up  to  the  point, 
What  course  is  open  to  the  Society  to  see  that  the  provisions 
of  their  Acts  are  properly  carried  out  1  We  should  not  be 
called  upon  to  spend  our  funds,  trying  to  have  the  law  re- 
spected. If  Parliament  thought  it  necessary  to  pass  the 
Pharmacy  Acts  for  the  safety  of  the  public,  surely  it  is  only 
reasonable  that  they  should  also  give  means  to  ..have  their 
various  provisions  carried  out.  If  this  state  of  things  con- 
tinues to  exist  in  the  country,  I  think  the  proper  course  for 
us  is  to  report  each  breach  of  the  law  to  the  Castle,  and  let 
them  see  that  the  provisions  of  their  Acts  are  properly 
carried  out.  Just  contrast  the  action  of  the  authorities  in 
our  cases  with  any  infringements  of  the  different  Acts  which 
affect  the  revenue.  We  have  had  no  fresh  legislation,  as  I 
had  hoped  we  would  have  had,  for  to  my  mind  we  want 
some  more  definite  and  stringent  laws  regulating  the  vested 
question  of 

Company-pharmacy, 
and  the  forming  of  bogus  companies  by  persons  who  will 
not,  or  could  not,  qualify,  and  others  who  never  served  one 
hour  at  the  business,  with,  perhaps,  a  share  capital  of  a 
few  pounds  each.  I  do  not  complain  if  pharmacy  companies 
be  formed,  each  member  of  which  is  qualified,  and  if  eaoh 
branch  shop  is  managed  by  a  qualified  man.  This,  to  my 
mind,  is  perfectly  legal  and  fair,  but  until  we  get  company- 
pharmacy  on  these  lines,  we  will  alwavs  have  an  un- 
scrupulous and  dangerous  competition.  We  are  told  that 
there  is  a  dearth  of  young  lads  coming  to  the  business. 
This  I  quite  believe  and  understand,  but  what  are  the  induce- 
ments held  out  to  them.  Only  these  :  long  hours,  hard  study 
and  small  remuneration  ;  and  when  the  young  man  rises  to 
the  position  of  having  his  own  pharmacy,  he  finds  that  his 
study  and  labour  have  been  almost  in  vain,  for  his  neighbours 
— the  grocer  and  huckster— enjoy  almost  all  the  rights  and 


privileges  that  he  does,  so  far  as  his  business  is  concerned . 
I  hope  that  we  will  again  approach  Parliament,  and  try  and 
get  some  further  legislation,  so  that  pharmacy  and  its  rights 
may  be  properly  protected  and  safeguarded.  I  am  very 
pleased  indeed  that  one  of  our  members  has  seen  fit  to  bring 
forward  a  notice  of  motion  bearing  on  this  matter. 

The  late  Resignations  from  the  Council. 

I  regret  very  much  that  your  Council  have  lost  the  services 
of  some  of  its  oldest  members  through  resignation ;  I  allude 
to  Messrs.  Wells  and  Montgomery.  Mr.  Wells's  connection 
with  the  Council  goes  back  some  eighteen  or  nineteen  years. 
He  always  worked  for  the  welfare  of  the  Society,  and  I 
assure  you  your  Council  used  every  endeavour  to  induce 
him  to  reconsider  his  decision.  In  Mr.  Montgomery, 
although  not  so  long  connected  with  the  Council,  we  have 
lost  a  most  valuable  member.  His  services  were  always  at  the 
call  of  the  Society,  and  although  his  attendances  at  the 
Council-meetings  were  not  as  frequent  as  we  would  have 
wished,  nevertheless  he  did  an  amount  of  work  that  only 
those  on  our  Committee  could  be  aware  of. 

Our  Colonies. 

It  will  be  gratifying  to  our  licentiates  and  members  to 
know  that  we  have  received  a  very  satisfactory  letter  from 
the  J  Right  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  intimating  that  our 
diploma  will  have  equal  rights  with  those  of  the  English 
Society  in  all  the  colonies,  with  the  exception  of  New  South 
Wales,  South  Australia,  and  Tasmania, 

The  late  Council  Election. 

I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  with  reference  to  our  elections. 
I  think  it  is  a  great  pity  that  the  members  of  our  Society  do 
not  take  a  greater  interest  in  these  elections.  We  frequently 
hear  complaints  that  the  Council  does  not  look  after  the 
interests  of  its  licentiates.  This  I  challenge,  but  it  is  open 
to  any  member  to  nominate  men  of  their  choice  to  serve  on 
Council;  and  I  greatly  wish  that  these  nominations  did 
not  remain  altogether  in  the  hands  of  sitting  members  of 
Council. 

The  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference. 

There  is  one  other  subject  that  I  desire  to  say  a  few  words 
about,  although  it  has  nothing''  to  do  with  the  work  of  the 
Society.  It  is  with  reference  to  the  late  visit  of  the  British 
Pharmaceutical :  Conference ;  and  although  I  was  specially 
careful  that  the  affairs  of  the  Conference  should  in  no  way 
be  mixed  up  with  our  Society,  beyond  my  giving  permission 
for  the  use  of  our  rooms  for  meetings,  still  I  must  say  that  it 
ought  to  be  a  matter  of  congratulation,  both  to  the  Society 
as  a  pharmaceutical  body,  and  to  each  individual  chemist  of 
Dublin  and  the  South  of  Ireland,  that  they  so  fully  main- 
tained the  traditions  of  Dublin  for  its  generous  hospitality, 
and  giving  our  visitors  a  real  hearty  Irish  welcome. 

The  Law  Proceedings 

during  the  year  have  been  carried  out,  as  I  mentioned  (with 
the  exception  of  those  in  Dublin),  with  the  enormous  dis- 
advantage of  a  magistracy  in  strong  sympathy  with  the 
offenders,  apparently  regarding  the  Society's  efforts  to  have 
the  law  vindicated  as  "  persecution."  As  a  consequence  the 
law  costs — as  the  Hon.  Treasurer's  statement  will  show — 
have  by  many  times  exceeded  the  fines  recovered. 

Our  Examiners. 

Your  Council,  owing  to  regulations  appointing  examiners, 
have  lost  the  valuable  services  of  Dr.  Tweedy  and  Mr. 
Sparkbrook  Brown,  both  of  whom  completed  the  full  term  of 
five  years.  Dr.  Henry,  LL.D.,  and  Mr.  David  O'Sullivan, 
M. P.S.I. ,  were  elected  in  November  last,  and  the  Council  are 
to  be  congratulated  on  having  two  such  competent  and 
painstaking  men  as  examiners.  In  the  Licence  examination 
Mr.  John  Smith  (now  a  member  of  Council)  is  succeeded  by 
Mr.  J.  Guiler,  M.P.S  I.,  for  the  botany  and  materia  medica 
examination. 

Our  Schools 

have  been  conducted  with  the  usual  care  and  ability  by 
Professor  Tichborne  and  Mr.  Kelly,  Professor  Ashe  and  Mr. 
J  M.  Laird.  In  the  practical  chemistry  class  the  number  of 
students  was  sixteen  in  1901,  as  against  twenty-six  last  year ; 


34         IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST       November  2,  1901 


and  in  the  botany  and  materia  medica  class  the  numbers 
were  thirty-nine  in  1901,  as  against  thirty-eight  in  the  pre- 
ceding year. 

The  Examinations 

have  as  heretofore  been  held  in  accordance  with  the  regula- 
tions, and  107  applications  for  registry  were  received 
during  the  year. 

Medal. 

I  am  pleased  to  say  that  the  silver  medal  has  been 
awarded  to  Mr.  John  Ronald  Wilson,  L.P.S.I.,  for  high 
answering  in  the  April  examination.  We  had  another 
gentleman  also  who  had  obtained  marks  over  the  limit  of 
230,  but,  unfortunately,  the  rule  laid  down  only  gave  the 
medal  to  the  greatest  number  of  marks  over  the  limit.  The 
gold  medal  has  still  to  be  won. 

Other  Particulars. 

We  have  had  an  increase  of  our  membership  of  sixteen 
over  last  year's,  the  number  being  192  against  176.  In  the 
associate  druggists'  class  the  numbers  are  37,  as  against  36 
last  year. 

The  net  increase  of  persons  registered  is  51.  Mr.  Beggs 
thanked  the  Registrar  for  his  help  and  assistance  in  com- 
piling the  foregoing  statistics. 

Thanks  to  the  President. 

Mr.  Bernard  (Vice-President),  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks 
to  the  President  for  his  address,  said  the  narrative  of  the 
bald,  plain,  unvarnished  truth,  was  such  that  they  could  not 
feel  delighted,  but  it  should  incite  the  members  to  farther 
effort.  (Hear,  hear.)  It  was  painful  to  contemplate 
that  out  of  1,460  licentiates  and  druggists  in  Ireland  only 
.  a  small  percentage  were  members  of  the  Society — something 
like  209.  Outside  the  Council  he  had  often  heard  criticism 
— mild  in  some  cases  and  violent  in  others — on  the  action 
of  the  Council ;  but  how  could  these  people  expect  the 
Council  to  fight  the  battles  when  they  were  not  supported  by 
the  army  1  (Hear,  hear).  It  was  like  sending  the 
officers  into  the  field  to  fight  while  the  regiments  remained 
behind.  From  what  he  knew  of  the  members  of  the  Council, 
and  the  work  that  they  did,  he  could  unhesitatingly  say  that 
the  Council  ought  to  be  better  supported.  (Hear,  hear.) 
They  wanted  licentiates  of  the  Society  to  recognise  that 
no  good  could  be  done  for  them  unless  they  helped 
the  Society ;  and  he  (Mr.  Bernard)  thought  that  for 
enunciating  that  fact,  and  for  his  conduct  in  the  chair,  the 
President  deserved  their  very  best  thanks,  and  he  seconded 
the  motion  that  the  same  be  accorded  to  Mr.  Beggs. 
(Applause.) 

Mr.  D.  O'Sullivan,  in  supporting  the  motion,  said  that 
the  address  of  the  President  was  a  very  practical  one.  Qne 
important  point  to  which  attention  had  been  drawn,  and 
which  should  not  be  lost  sight  of,  was  the  repeated  action 
of  the  authorities  in  reducing  the  fines  on  persons  convicted 
of  breaches  of  the  Pharmacy  Act.  That  was  a  matter  that 
directly  appealed  to  all  licentiates  and  druggists  as  well, 
and  they  should  be  asked  to  interview  their  Parliamentary 
representatives  in  the  various  districts  to  see  if  something 
could  not  be  done  to  stop  the  practice.    (Hear,  hear.) 

Mr.  Conyngham  also  spoke,  after  which 

The  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  amid  applause. 

The  President,  in  the  course  of  his  reply,  said  he  trusted 
that  |the  Society  would  Jincrease  in  numbers  and  would  pro- 
sper, and  that  they  would  have  no  cause  to  look  back  on  the 
past.    (Hear,  hear.) 

Financial  Statement. 

Mr.  Grindley  (Hon.  Treasurer)  then  read  a  summary  of 
the  income  and  expenditure  of  the  Society  for  the  year 
ended  September  30,  1901,  from  which  we  extract  the 
following  : — 

Income. — Balance  in  bank  at  close  of  la9t  year,  503.  7s.  6(3. ; 
fees  from  licences  and  examinations,  5493.  6s.  6d. ;  subscriptions, 
2013.  12s. ;  dividends  on  stocks,  253.  12s.  6d. ;  fines  and  costs  in- 
curred, 413. ;  rents,  &c,  received,  293.  7s.  Id.   Total,  8973.  5s.  Id. 

Expenditure.  —  Fees  paid  to  examiners  and  for  licences, 
1943.  8s.  6(3. ;  salary  of  Registrar  for  year,  1203. ;  The  Cheimst 
and  Dkuggist,  for  journals,  463.  Is.  8(3. ;  ground-rent,  rates,  and 
taxes,  373.  4s.  8d. ;  printing  and  stationery,  253.  9s.  Id. ;  lurniture 
and  repairs,  1143.  14s.  Ic3. ;  law  costs,  1753.  14s.  8(3. ;  postage, 
wages,  sundries,  943.  7s.  9(3.;  drugs  for  examiners,  fire-insurance, 


coal,  gas,  &c,  323.  13s.  10(3. ;  travelling  expenses  of  country 
members  of  Council,  223. ;  stamps  on  drafts,  8s.  4(3. ;  balance  now 
due  by  bank  of  Ireland,  343.  3s.  Total,  8973.  5s.  Id.  This  added 
to  9823.  15s.  Id.  worth  of  new  2f  per  cent.  Government  stock  gave 
a  total  money  capital  of  1,0163.  18s.  7(3. 

Mr.  Grindley,  in  presenting  the  statement,  said  that  the 
Preliminary  fees  received  had  increased  from  1593.  12s.  last 
year  to  1763.  8s.  this  year  ;  but  the  fees  from  registered  druggists 
s-howed  a  large  falling-off — 923. 8s.,  as  against  1473.  Member- 
ship subscriptions  showed  a  slight  increase — 1643.  17s.,  as 
against  1603.  13s.  It  was  a  deplorable  thing  to  have  to  state 
that  they  had  paid  in  law-costs  1753.  14s.  8d.  (as  against 
703.  5s.  8d.  in  the  previous  year),  and  all  they  had  recovered 
was  413. 

Mr.  Conyngham  and  Mr.  Kelly  commented  on  the 
heavy  law-costs,  the  former  remarking  that  the  Act  of 
Parliament  should  be  allowed  to  remain  a  dead  letter,  or 
else  the  Government  must  undertake  the  work  at  their  own 
expense. 

Other  Accounts. 
Mr.  Ferrall  (Registrar)  then  submitted  an  account  of 
the  income  and  expenditure  in  the  Pharmaceutical  School 
of  Chemistry  for  the  past  year,  from  which  it  appeared  that 
1173. 12s.  had  been  received  in  fees,  and  the  expenditure  was 
1183.  2s.  2(3.  The  account  for  the  School  of  Botany  and 
Materia  Medica  showed  that  there  was  a  balance  from  last 
account  of  583.  4s.  8d.,  and  607.  18s.  had  been  received  in 
fees  ;  after  deducting  expenditure  there  was  now  a  balance 
of  633.  7s.  3d. 

Mr.  Conyngham  put  several  questions  of  a  friendly 
character  to  ensure  that  the  Council  was  acting  within  its 
rights,  the  President  assuring  him  on  the  point,  the 
accounts  were  passed. 

Division  op  the  Examination. 
Mr.  H.  Conyngham  moved  the  following  motion : — 
That  this  meeting  suggests  to  the  Council  the  advisability  of 
having  a  day  class  in  the  School  of  Chemistry,  and  also  the 
advisability  of  having  the  Final  examination  divided  into  two 
parts. 

He  put  the  latter  part  of  the  motion  first.  Young  men 
coming  to  the  profession  were,  he  said,  so  weighted  and 
engrossed  by  the  examination  they  had  to  face  that  whilst 
preparing  for  it  they  did  not  learn  their  business.  The 
result  was  that  after  they  got  qualified  they  were  unfit  to 
take  charge  of  a  place  of  their  own.  He  had  three  sugges- 
tions to  make.  The  first  was  that  the  Assistants'  examina- 
tion should  count  as  the  first  half  of  the  Final  examination ; 
the  second  that  the  Final  should  be  divided  into  two  parts ; 
and  the  third  was  that,  if  the  Council  should  approve  of 
neither  of  those  plans,  the  student  who  was  put  back  should 
be  allowed  credit  when  he  presented  himself  again  for  the 
subject  that  he  had  passed  in,  and  should  only  be  examined 
in  those  in  which  he  had  failed.  This  would  relieve  the 
present  strain  on  the  time  and  mind  of  the  student. 

Mr.  Henry  Hunt  seconded  the  motion,  and  after  some 
discussion  it  was  referred  to  the  new  Council  for  con- 
sideration. 

Companies  and  Patents. 

Mr.  Kelly  moved  the  following  resolution  :— 

That  the  following  clause  be  added  to  the  Pharmacy  Act  (Ireland) 
for  the  protection  of  the  public  and  of  duly  qualified  pharmaceutical 
chemists  in  Ireland :  That  no  person  or  persons  be  permitted  to 
keep  open  shop  for  the  compounding  or  dispensing  of  physicians' 
or  surgeons'  prescriptions  unless  they  be  trained  and  educated, 
and  have  passed  a  qualifying  examination  according  to  Act  of 
Parliament  for  so  doing. 

Some  people  said  that  what  he  proposed  was  the  law 
already.  He  said  "  No."  They  had  heard  about  the  non- 
enforcement  of  the  existing  law  by  those  in  authority,  and 
about  the  evasion  of  it  by  unprincipled  capitalists.  The 
grievance  was  a  very  sore  one.  He  wanted  no  monopoly. 
Let  patent  medicines  go  to  the  dogs,  but  he  did  ask  protec- 
tion for  the  trained  and  qualified  pharmacist. 

The  resolution  was  seconded  by  the  President, 'and,  several 
members  having  spoken  in  favour  of  it,  the  resolution  was 
put  from  the  chair  and  passed  unanimously. 

The  proceedings  concluded  with  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
President. 

[A  longer  report  of  this  meeting  is  given  in  the  C.  #  D.; 
October  12.— Ed.] 


Novemjser  2,  1901    IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST  85 

Pears 

SOAP     MAKERS     BY    APPOINTMENT  TO 

His  Majesty 

THE  KING 


AND  TO 


Her  Majesty 

THE  QUEEN 


HOLDERS  OF  THE 

ONLY 


GRAND  PRIX 


—  EVER  AWARDED 


For  Toilet  Soap 

In  Great  Britain-  -On  the  Sea,  or  beyond  the  Seas. 


86 


IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST    November  2,  1901 


».  pa 


BOILEAU  &  BOYD,  LTD. 

Telegrams— "  Boileau  Dublin."         (ESTABLISHED   1700.)  Telephone  No.  226. 

MANUFACTURING  CHEMISTS,  WHOLESALE  DRUGGISTS, 

Drug:  and  Spice  Grinders,  Drysalters,  Patent  Medicine  Dealers,  Druggists'  Sundriesmen. 

PHARMACEUTICAL  PREPARATIONS. 
POWDERED  DRUGS  AND  SPICES. 
PACKED  GOODS. 
WINTER  REQUISITES. 

COD  LIVER  OIL.     PETROLEUM  EMULSION. 

GLYCERINE.  PARRISH'S  SYRUP. 
METHYLATED  SPIRIT  FINISH. 

Sr.  BRIDE'S  LABORATORY,  DUBLIN. 


P.  A.  LESLIE  &  CO. 

Wholesale  and 

Export  Druggists, 

Bride  Street,  DUBLIN 

JgEG  to  inform  their  friends  and  the  Trade 
generally  that  their  Warehouses,  Laboratories, 
and  Millrooms  having  been  inspected  by  the  repre- 
sentatives of  His  Majesty's  Admiralty,  they  have 
been  placed  on  the  list  of  those  firms  invited  to 
contract  for  the  supply  of  Drugs  to  His  Majesty's 
Navy. 

This  is  a  signal  honour,  and  is  the  first  time  any 
Irish  firm  has  obtained  such. 


Close  Quotations  for  Selected  Drugs,  Pure  Chemicals, 
and  Standardised  Pharmaceutical  Preparations 
sent  on  application. 


The  pages  of  this  Supplement  are 
open  for  the  insertion  of  Adver- 
tisements under  the  following 
headings : — 


BUSINESSES  WANTED. 

3s.  Sd.for  50  words  or  less  ;  6(2.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

BUSINESSES  FOR  DISPOSAL. 

3s.  Qd.for  50  words  or  less ;  6d.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

PREMISES  TO  LET. 

3j.  Gd.  for  50' words  or  less  ;  6d.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

AUCTION  SALES. 

3s.  Gd.for  50  words  or  less ;  Gd.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

PARTNERSHIPS. 

3s.  6d.for  50  words  or  less ;  6<2.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

SITUATIONS  VACANT. 

3s.  Gd.for  50  words  or  less ;  6d.  for  every  10  words  beyond. 

SITUATIONS  WANTED. 

Is.  for  12  words  or  less ;  6d.  for  every  6  words  beyond. 

EXCHANGE  COLUMN.— Gd.for  10  words  or  less;  id.  per  word  beyond 
(double  rates  if  no  name  attached). 


Advertisements  should  be  received  at  42  Cannon 
Street,  London,  E.C.,  not  later  than  the  29th  of 
the  month. 


i 


November  2,  1901    IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


fe7 


HOYTE    &  SON, 

77ie  C#7y  of  Dublin  Drug  Hall 

AND 

PLATE    &    SHEET    GLASS  WAREHOUSE. 

SPONGE  S — A  Speciality. 

HONEYCOMB  SPONGES,  UNBLEACHED. 

A  A.  Cases  of  200  pieces,  Toilet  shapes,  £%  10s.,  averaging  k\d.  each,  to  retail  at  6d.  to  8c?.  each. 
BB.  Cases  of  150  pieces,  Toilet  shapes,  £Z  15s.,  averaging  6c?.  each,  to  retail  at  9d.  to  Is.  each. 
CC.  Cases  of  100  pieces,  Toilet  shapes,  £3  15s.,  averaging  9c?.  each,  to  retail  at  Is.  to  Is.  3c?.  each. 
DD.  Cases  of  100  pieces,  Toilet  shapes,  £5,  averaging  Is.  each,  to  retail  at  Is.  6c?.  to  2s.  each. 
EE.  Cases  of  80  pieces,  assorted  shapes,  £Q,  averaging  Is.  6c?.  each,  to  retail  at  Is.  9c?.  to  3s.  6c?.  each. 
All  Sponges  sent  carriage  paid  and  on  approval. 

AGENTS    FOE    JOHAN    THE  SEN    &    CO.'S    (BERGEN,  NORWAY) 

FINEST    NON  -  FREEZING     COD     LIVER  OIL, 

In  25-gal.  Casks,  5-gal.  Tins,  or  Winchester  Quarts.    Prices  and  samples  on  application. 

Agents  for  Ireland  for  the  MITCH  AM  JAPAN  &  VARNISH  CO.,  MITCHAM,  LONDON. 
SPECIALITIES— IVORY  WHITE  JAPAN  AND  WHITE  COPAL  VARNISH. 

McKEONE'S  AMERICAN  OATMEAL  SOAP,  specially  recommended  for  Ladies, 

At  4s.  3c?.  per  doz.  tablets ;  48s.  per  gross. 
BELFAST  AGENTS— Messrs.  J.  &  J.  Haslett. 

Gold  Leaf,  Fellows'  Syrup,  Carter's  Little  Liver  Pills,  Williams'  Pink  Pills,  Beecham's  Pills, 
Angier's  Emulsion,  Hoyte's  Weed  Killer,  AspinalPs  Enamels,  &c,  &c. 


PHARMACEUTICAL  SOCIETY  of  IRELAND. 


EXAMINA  TIONS. 

All  Examinations  are  held  during  the  months  of 
January,  April,  July,  and  October — viz. : 

•  The  Preliminary  Examinations  on  the  FIRST 
TUESDAYS. 

The  Pharmaceutical  License  Examinations 
on  the  SECOND  WEDNESDAYS  and  follow- 
ing days. 

The  Pharmaceutical  Assistants  Examinations 
on  the  SECOND  MONDAYS. 

The  Registered  Druggist  Examinations  on 
the  SECOND  TUESDAYS. 


All  Applications  must  be  lodged  with  the  Registrar, 
and  fees  paid,  a  clear  fortnight  before  the  dates  of 
the  respective  Examinations. 


PHARMACEUTICAL  SCHOOLS  OF  CHEMISTRY, 
BOTANY,  AND  MATERIA  MEDICA. 

The  Chemistry  School  is  under  the  direction  of 
Professor  Tichborne,  ll.d.,  f.i.c,  l.r.c.s.i.,  and 
Diplomate  in  Public  Health,  assisted  by  Mr.  P. 
Kelly,  m.p.s.i.,  and  Mr.  P.  N.  Binks,  P.C.S.,  late 
"  Young  "  Scholar  of  Anderson's  College,  Glasgow. 

The  Botany  and  Materia  Medica  School  is  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  J.  N.  Laird,  b.a.,  Large  Gold 
Medallist  and  Sen.  Mod.  T.C.D.,  and  Mr,  J.  S- 
Ashe,  m.p.s.i.,  Medallist  and  Prizeman  in  Materia 
Medica,  r.c.s.i  ,  <fcc,  <fec. 

The  Fees  for  the  Courses,  in  accordance  with  the 
Regulations  of  the  Society,  are  as  follow  : — 

£    s.  d. 

Theoretical  Chemistry   1    1  0 

Practical  Chemistry  (Deposit  3/6)  ...  6  6  0 
Botany  and  Materia  Medica  (combined)  2    2  0 


FOR  FURTHER  PARTICULARS,  APPLY  TO 

THE  REGISTRAR,  67  LOWER  MOUNT  STREET,  DUBLIN. 


88 


IRISH  SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST    November  2,  1901 


WINTER  REQUISITES. 

*VVVVVVVVVVVVVVWVVVVVVVN^VVVVWVVVVVVVVV> 

We  beg  to  remind  you  of  the  following  goods  necessary 

for  the  coming  season  : 

BOTTLES,  HOT  WATER.    Made  of  Best  quality  Rubber. 
CAMPHOR    ICE.    Pure  ingredients. 
CHEST   PROTECTORS.    Pure  Lambswool. 
CUBEB    CIGARETTES.     Safe  and  Effective. 
EXTRACT   OF  MALT.  Genuine 

EXTRACT  OF  MALT  &  COD  LIVER  OIL.  Genuine 

FLOOR   POLISH.     Cheap  and  Reliable. 
INHALERS.  Various 

BRITISH  TOILET  LANOLINE.  In  tins,      retail.  A  Good  Line 
„  „  In  Collapsible  Tubes,  6d,  retail. 

PLASTERS.     All  kinds  of  guaranteed  quality. 

In  addition  to  the  above  we  have  a  large  series  of  Specialities 
suitable  for  the  Winter  trade,  on  which  we  print  customer's  name 
and  address.   Particulars  will  be  found  in  our  list  of  Counter  Adjuncts. 

Christmas  Novelties. 

We  have  a  choice  selection  of  Fancy  Cases  of  Perfumery, 

all  at  popular  prices. 

EVANS,  SONS  &  CO.,       EVANS,  LESCHER  &  WEBB, 

LIVERPOOL.  LONDON. 

EVANS  AND  SONS  (LIMITED), 

MONTREAL. 

Printed  by  Spottiswoodb  &  Oo.  Ltd.,  New-street  Square ;  and  Published  at  the  Office,  42  Gannon  Street,  in  the  City  ot  London.— November  2,  1901. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


713 


Weekly  Journal  of  Pharmacy  and  the  Drug=trads . 

ESTABLISHED  1859. 


Head  Office:  42  Cannon  Street,  London,  E.C 

/Melbourne,  Vic. 


Branch 
Offices 


Sydney,  N.S.W. 
Adelaide,  S.A. 

\.New  York,  U.S.A. 


Pink's  Buildings,  Elizabeth 

Street. 
114a  Pitt  Street. 
76  Brookman's  Building, 

Qrenfell  Street. 
Park  Row  Building. 


Subscription  Rates. 

Ten  shillings  a  year  in  advance,  post  free  to  any  part  of  the 
world,  including  a  copy  of  The  Chemists'  and  Druggists' 
Diary  next  published.  Single  copy,  4d. ;  Summer  or  Winter 
Number,  Is. ;  Diary,  3s.  6d.  Postal  orders  and  cheques  to  be 
crossed  "  Martin's  Bank  (Limited)." 


THIS  JOURNAL  is  regularly  supplied  by  subscription  to  the 
whole  of  the  Members  of  FIFTEEN  PHARMACEUTICAL 
SOCIETIES  in  the  British  Empire.  The  associate  Journal, 
The  Chemist  and  Druggist  of  Australasia,  published  at  Mel- 
bourne and  Sydney,  is  also  supplied  to  all  Australasian  sub- 
scribers.   

Terms  for  advertising  may  be  obtained  on  application  to  the 
Publisher,  C.  &  D.,  42  Cannon  Street,  London,  E.C. 

Prix  de  l'abonnement :  The  Chemist  and  Druggist  une  fois  par 
semaine,  et  l'agenda  du  Chemist  and  Druggist  une  fois  par 
an,  12.50  francs  par  an,  franco. 

Abonnementspreis :  The  Chemist  and  Druggist  einmal  wochent- 
lich,  und  Notizkalender  des  Chemist  and  Druggist  einmal  im 
Jahre,  10  Mark  jahrlich,  frei  in's  Haus  geliefert. 

Preeio  de  suscrieion  :  The  Chemist  and  Druggist  una  vez  por 
semana,  y  el  Agenda  del  Chemist  and  Druggist  una  vez  al 
aiio,  12.50  pesetas  anuales,  franco. 


CONTENTS:  Vol.  LIX.  No.  18  (Series  No.  1,136.) 

PAGE 

American  Notes    747 

Bankruptcies  and  Failures  734 

Business  Changes   721 

Colonial  and  Foreign  News  719 

Coming  Events   740 

Correspondence   735 

Deaths   721 

Deeds  of  Arrangement   735 

East  Indian  News   719 

Editorial  Comments : — 

Medical    and  Pharma- 
ceutical   728 

"  Hamburg  Ipecac."   729 

Effervescent  Sodium 
Phosphate    730 

Notes    730 

English  News    714 

French  News   718 

Irish  News   717 

Legal  Reports    732 

New  Books   726 


PAGE 

New  Companies  and  Com- 
pany News   735 

Nursery  Rhymes    726 

Observations  and  Reflec- 
tions  727 

Our  Town  Traveller   720 

Personalities   721 

Pharmaceutical  Society  of 
Great  Britain  : — 

North  British  Branch  745 

Recent  Wills   726 

Reviews    746 

Scientific  Progress    747 

Scotch  News    718 

South  African  News   747 

Trade  marks  Applied  for...  719 

Trade  Notes    725 

Trade  Report   741 

Use  of  Formic  Aldehyde...  726 
Winter  Session   722 


SUBSCRIBE  TO  THE  C.  &  D. 

We  would  remind  those  of  our  readers  whose  subscriptions  expire 
about  this  time  that  they  should  promptly  renew  them,  in  order 
to  ensure  getting  copies  of  The  Chemists'  and  Druggists' 
Diary  for  1902.  We  have  just  completed  the  press-work  on  the 
Diary,  and  think  we  may  say  that  in  several  respects  it  will  be  a 
more  serviceable  desk-book  than  ever.  The  price  of  the  Diary 
to  non-subscribers  is  3s.  6d.  per  copy,  post  free  to  any  part  of  the 
world.  A  copy  will  be  presented  to  everyone  on  our  subscription- 
register,  and  as  the  10s.  subscription  includes  fifty-two  weekly 
numbers  of  the  0.  &  D.  the  investment  is  the  most  remunerative 
in  the  drug-trade.  Not  only  is  this  a  good  time  for  renewing 
eubscriptions,  but  the  best  time  to  begin. 


Summary 


The  United  States  consumes  ten  million  pounds  of  arsenic 
yearly  (p.  747). 

The  legality  of  the  sale  of  poisons  by  auction  is  discussed  by 
a  correspondent  (p.  738). 

Data  for  making  formaldehyde  solutions  are  given  by  Mr.  Geo. 
Roe  in  the  article  on  p.  726. 

There  is  a  movement  for  the  iutroducfcion  of  the  metric 
system  into  South  Africa  (p.  748). 

The  discussion  on  cutting  prices  is  growing  in  our  correspond- 
ence columns,  boycott  being  advocated  (p.  737). 

A  Kettering  Chemist  his  been  censured  by  a  coroner's  jury 
in  regard  to  a  sale  of  potassium  cyanide  (p.  716). 

Letters  in  our  Correspondence  section  show  that  the  Liver- 
pool conference  of  chemists  was  poorly  attended  (p.  738). 

A  Photographic  Group  of  the  latest  lot  of  Volunteer  com- 
pounders to  be  sent  to  the  front  is  reproduced  on  p.  748. 

Dr,  Martindale's  article  on  vaccination  in  the  C.  &  D.  of 
October  19  has  been  of  assistance  to  a  conscientious  objector 
(p.  714). 

Xrayser,  replying  to  Mr.  Patrick  Kelly,  gives  the  legal  reasons 
for  the  opinion  that  companies  are  entirely  outside  the  Pharmacy 
Acts  (p.  727). 

Who  should  pay  the  solicitor's  charges  for  a  three-years'  house 
agreement?  The  question  is  to  be  settled  by  a  metropolitan 
judge  (p.  732). 

Mr.  Victor  Horsley  is  very  angry  with  the  Royal  Colleges  and 
the  Privy  Council  for  their  treatment  of  the  General  Medica 
Council  (p.  731). 

Observations  on  the  testing  of  reduced  iron  by  Dr.  A.  Mar- 
quardt,  epitomised  on  p.  747,  corroborate  generally  Mr.  E.  S. 
Peck's  conclusions. 

The  detection  of  salicylic  acid  in  strawberry  jam  does  not 
necessarily  mean  the  addition  of  a  preservative,  as  there  is  methyl 
salicylate  in  the  fruit  (p.  747). 

Dr.  Luff  regretted  that  a  pharmaceutical  curriculum  is  not 
compulsory.  He  appears  to  deplore  that  there  is  a  curriculum 
for  the  medical  diploma  (p.  728). 

The  names  of  the  forty-six  persons  who  obtained  the  Apothe- 
caries' Assistants'  certificate  last  month  are  given  on  p.  715.  It  is 
stated  that  over  120  were  examined. 

The  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  Pharmaceutical 
Society  of  Ireland,  and  others,  reply  to  Mr.  E  iglish's  criticism  of 
the  conduct  of  the  recent  election  (p.  736). 

Mr.  J.  W.  Sutherland,  of  Glasgow,  and  Mr.  Martin  MelJrum  , 
of  Irvine,  have  been  nominated,  with  six  retiring  members,  for 
the  election  to  the  Pharmaceutical  Board  of  Examiners  for  Scot- 
land (p.  745). 

Boots'  and  Parkes'  Drug-stores  are  the  defend  ints  in  Sale 
of  Food  and  Drugs  Act  cases  respecting  methylated  soap  lini- 
ment. The  Government  chemists  are  getting  a  reserve  sample 
to  analyse  (p.  733). 

Mr.  Barratt,  the  chairman  of  A.  &  F.  Pears  (Limited),  reports 
a  satisfactory  year's  business,  and  gave  the  shareholders  some 
interesting  particulars  about  an  American  imitation  of  the 
famous  soap  (p.  744). 

Dr.  Richard  Allan,  of  Dumbarton,  is  being  prosecuted  by  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society  in  regard  to  alleged  illegality  in  the  sale 
of  Easton's  syrup  by  an  assistant  (p.  734),  who  herself  has  been 
fined  for  the  actual  sale  (p.  733). 

The  Preliminary  Examination  regulations  were  discussed  at 
the  Executive  meeting  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  in  Edin- 
burgh, when  Mr.  T.  Maben  appealed  strongly  for  a  reconsidera- 
tion of  the  whole  position  (p.  745). 

Mr.  W.  S.  Glyn-Jones,  addressing  the  P.  and  P.L.  Dispensers' 
Association,  condemned  the  growing  recognition  of  the  Apothe- 
caries' Assistants'  certificate,  claiming  that  the  Pharmacy  Act 
qualification  should  be  more  stringently  upheld  (p.  723). 

The  principal  changes  in  the  drug  and  chemical  markets  are 
reductions  in  borax,  boric  acid,  English  refined  camphor,  sul- 
phonal,  and  almond  oil.  Among  the  dearer  articles  are  crude 
camphor,  shellac,  lycopodium,  ginger,  and  cod-liver  oil  (p.  741). 

By  the  help  of  Mr.  Glyn-Jones,  as  the  embodiment  of  the 
CD. A.,  the  Saxmundham  magistrates  have  declared  spt.  seth.  nit. 
to  be  a  perishable  article,  so  that  a  summons  against  a  pharmacist 
was  dismissed  because  the  analyst  did  not  mention  the  fact  on  his 
certificate  (p.  733). 

B-C 


714 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


jEnglteb  Bern 


Local  Newspapers  containing  marked  items  of  news  interesting 
to  the  trade  are  always  welcomed  by  the  Editor. 


Brevities. 

A  General  Order  issued  on  October  22  from  the  Custom- 
house makes  the  duty  on  crystallised  or  glace  apricots  Is. 
per  cwt.,  and  mixed  fruits  in  boxes  will  pay  the  highest  rate 
of  duty. 

Thomas  Maloney  (43),  described  as  a  chemist's  assistant, 
was  remanded  at  Clerkenwell  on  October  25,  charged  with 
being  a  suspected  person  found  loitering  at  St.  Pancras 
railway-station. 

The  Chemical  Industry  Club  will  entertain  at  the  Hotel 
Previtali,  on  Monday  evening,  Professor  William  Eamsay, 
F.R.S  ,  Mr.  R.  C.  Woodcock  ( Treasurer  of  the  New  York 
Section  of  the  Society),  and  Mr.  Watson  Smith. 

The  fun  i  which  is  being  raised  to  found  a  memorial  to 
the  late  Dr.  D.  J.  Leech,  Manchester,  has  reached  the  sum  of 
1,230Z.  The  fund  is  shortly  to  be  closed,  and  a  meeting  of 
subscribers  called  to  consider  the  form  of  the  memorial. 

A  youth  named  Chetwood  (16)  has  been  committed  to  the 
Shropshire  Assizes  on  a  charge  of  breaking  into  the  house 
of  Mr.  J.  J  Clayton,  chemist  and  druggist,  BUesmere,  and 
stealiog  15Z.  in  money  and  a  gold  watch.  Chetwood  was 
formerly  in  Mr.  Clayton's  employ. 

In  the  High  Court  action,  Birker  v.  Sullivan  and  others, 
now  being  heard  by  Mr.  Justice  Ridley  and  a  special  jury, 
Mr.  W.  F.  Wyley,  of  Coventry,  is  one  of  the  defendants,  as  a 
director  of  the  Cycle-manufacturers'  Tube  Company 
(Limited).  The  action  is  in  respect  to  the  prospectus  of  the 
company. 

The  safe  which  was  removed  bodily  from  the  shop  of 
Boots  (Limited),  in  Market  Street,  Longton,  on  September  19 
(see  C.  $  D.,  September  28,  page  524),  has  been  discovered 
in  a  pool  near  Burslem.  The  bottom  of  the  safe  had  been 
wrenched  off,  and  the  contents  (as  well  as  the  burglars)  are 
still  missing. 

The  operations  of  J.  H.  Nicholson,  the  ear-drum  man,  have 
been  put  a  stop  to  for  a  time.  He  came  up  for  trial  last 
week  at  the  Old  Bailey,  and,  having  pleaded  guilty  to  a 
charge  of  fraud,  was  sentenced  to  eighteen  months'  hard 
labour.  An  interesting  historical  account  of  his  dalings  with 
the  public  appears  in  this  week's  Truth. 

Mr.  0.  Estcourt,  public  analyst  for  the  city  of  Manchester 
during  the  quarter  ended  September  30,  examined  thirty 
samples  of  drugs  and  fourteen  of  beer.  Samples  of  sulphur 
included  in  the  drugs,  were  all  found  to  be  arsenic-free.  The 
beer  samples  all  contained  traces  of  arsenious  acid,  varying 
from  an  infinitesimal  trace  to  ^  gr.  per  gal. 

On  Friday,  October  25,  the  Michael  Faraday  Home  was 
opened  at  East  Dulwich.  This  home  is  a  ten-roomed  house, 
presented  to  the  Robert  Browning  Settlement  by  Miss  Isabel 
Faraday,  a  cousin  of  the  great  investigator,  and  it  is  given  so 
that  nine  poor  people,  preferably  in  Newington,  which  was 
Faraday's  native  parish,  may  end  their  days  without  entering 
the  workhouse. 

A  firm  of  financial  agents  sued  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Litchfield 
last  week  at  the  Bloomsbury  County  Court  for  non-payment 
of  an  order  made  by  the  Court.  In  the  course  of  examina- 
tion it  was  stated  that  defendant,  besides  being  the  pro- 
prietress of  several  "  dormant "  fashion  journals,  was 
connected  with  a  business  for  selling  preparations  in  bottles 
and  packets — "  lotion,  sulphide,  and  a  specific  for  producing 
fat." 

The  Manufacturers'  Section  of  the  London  Chamber  of 
Commerce  has  recently  issued  a  report  by  its  Parliamentary 
Committee  on  the  Factory  and  Workshops  Act,  1901,  which 
comes  into  operation  on  January  1,  1902.  This  report  is 
mainly  devoted  to  a  record  of  the  successful  results  which 
attended  the  efforts  of  the  committee  in  promoting  amend- 
ments to  the  Amendment  Bill  of  last  Session.  There  was  an 
excellent  summary  of  the  Act  in  the  Times  of  October  26. 


For  Municipal  Honours. 
Mr.  William  Lund,  chemist  and  druggist,  York,  has  been 
re-elected  unopposed  a  member  of  the  City  Council. 

Mr.  Rex  Blanchford,  chemist  and  druggist,  is  a  candidate 
for  municipal  honours  in  the  borough  of  Richmond 

Mr.  J.  E.  H.  Watson,  chemist  and  druggist,  Rose  Corner, 
has  been  returned  unopposed  to  the  Norwich  Town  Council. 

Mr.  Charles  W.  Crass  weller,  chemist  and  druggist,  has 
been  returned  without  a  contest  to  the  Bury  St.  Edmunds 
Town  Council. 

The  following  gentlemen  concerned  in  the  chemical-trades 
are  candidates  at  the  municipal  elections  in  Yorkshire  cities 
and  boroughs,  some  of  them,  as  indicated,  being  elected 
without  opposition: — Bradford,  Tong  Ward,  J.  B.  Wilkinson, 
chemical-manufacturer;  Harrogate,  Bilton  Ward,  J.  H. 
Wilson,  pharmaceutical  chemist ;  Leeds,  Central  Ward, 
E.  A.  Hirst,  manufacturing  chemist;  Todmorden,  Walsden 
Ward,  J.  Shackleton,  chemist ;  Wakefield,  South  Westgate 
Ward,  H.  Cookson,  chemical-manufacturer  (elected) ;  York, 
Guildhall  Ward,  W.  Lund,  chemist  (elected). 

Had  Read  the  "  C.  &  D." 

At  North  London  Police  Court  on  October  26,  an  applicant 
to  Mr.  Fordham  asked  for  a  certificate  of  exemption  under  the 
Vaccination  Act  Mr.  Fordham  said  the  applicant  would 
have  to  satisfy  him  that  he  conscientiously  believed  that 
vaccination  would  be  prejudicial  to  his  child's  health.  The 
applicant  said  that  was  exactly  his  view.  Mr.  Fordham  said 
the  applicant  would  have  to  explain  by  what  course  of 
reasoning  he  had  come  to  that  conclusion.  The  Applicant : 
There  are  some  people  who  are  very  particular  as  to  the  laws 
of  hygiene  and  health,  and  who  also  think  that  vaccination 
is  a  risky  proceeding.  I  myself  have  heard  and  read  of  very 
unsatisfactory  results.  I  have  read  an  article  by  Dr. 
Martindale,  who,  though  not  opposing  vaccination,  is  not  at 
all  certain  about  it.  Mr.  Fordham  :  But  you  would  not  set 
up  your  opinion  against  Dr.  Martindale  ?  I  should  not  like  to 
do  so.  The  Applicant :  No,  but  he  did  not  convince  me. 
In  fact,  I  think  it  a  very  great  responsibility.  Mr.  Fordham : 
Why  ?  The  Applicant :  A  poor  woman  who  was  in  my 
employ  told  me  of  her  child,  who  died  as  a  direct  result  of 
vaccination.  I  have  studied  the  statistics  of  vaccination, 
which  rather  put  me  against  it.  Mr.  Fordham :  What 
is  the  percentage  of  deaths  from  vaccination — one  in 
a  thousand,  one  in  five  thousand  1  The  applicant  said  he 
did  not  know.  Mr.  Fordham :  You  really  have  made  up 
your  mind  that  it  would  injure  your  child  1  The  Applicant : 
Yes,  I  have.  Mr.  Fordham  :  Then  it  is  my  duty  to  grant  you 
the  certificate,  though  I  am  very  sorry  to  have  to  do  it. 

Far-seeing  Guardians. 

The  Salisbury  Board  of  Guardians  on  October  25  dis- 
cussed the  offer  of  Mr.  H.  L.  Farebrother,  dentist,  to  examine 
and  report  gratuitously  upon  the  state  of  the  teeth  of  the 
children  in  the  workhouse.  It  was  stated  that  the  majority 
of  the  House  Committee  were  in  favour  of  doing  nothing  in 
the  matter,  it  being  explained  that  Mr  Farebrother  might 
not  always  continue  to  do  the  work  for  nothing,  and  once 
the  practice  was  started  the  Board  would  have  to  pay  a 
dentist  at  some  future  time.  One  member  said  that  when  an 
honorary  dentist  was  appointed  a  charge  was  made  for 
stopping  or  for  new  sets  of  teeth ;  and  another  member 
objected  to  workhouse  inmates  having  gold  stoppings  and 
new  sets  of  teeth,  while  ratepayers  could  have  their  teeth 
drop  out.  The  Board  decided  to  take  no  action  in  the 
matter. 

Football. 

Metropolitan  College  of  Pharmacy  v.  War  Office  Sports 
Club. — This  match  was  played  on  October  26  on  the  Metro- 
politan College  ground  at  Shepherd's  Bush,  and  though  at 
one  time  the  "  Metros  "  seemed  to  have  it  all  their  own  way, 
they  fell  off  towards  the  end,  and  their  visitors,  whose 
forwards  played  a  good  combined  game,  scored  three  times 
to  the  "  Metros  "  four,  thus  leaving  the  College  the  victory 
by  the  narrow  margin  of  one  goal. 

London  College  of  Pharmacy  v.  Old  Londonians — On 
October  26  a  very  creditable  draw  was  played  between  these 
clubs,  the  score  being  2  goals  all.    The  College  led  until 


November  2,  19D1 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


715 


just  on  time.  Conspicuous  among  the  men  who  played  in 
last  year's  victorious  team,  and  who  are  still  representing 
the  College,  are  Mauri  ;e  Jones  (captain),  W.  Cole  (vice- 
captain),  and  J.  G.  Middleton. 

Fire. 

The  chemist's  shop  of  Messrs.  Needham  St  Co.,  situated  at 
the  corner  of  Ladypool  Road  and  Highgate  Road,  Birming- 
ham, was  on  October  24  the  scene  of  a  disastrous  fire. 
Various  causes  are  assigned  as  the  reason  for  the  outbreak, 
but,  whatever  the  origin,  the  destruction  was  complete.  The 
roof  of  the  building — a  large  one  of  two  storeys — fell  in  before 
the  Birmingham  fire-brigade  arrived,  and  when  a  large  tank 
of  petroleum  became  ignited  the  flames  blazed  with  furious 
brilliancy.  Not  a  vestige  of  anything  was  saved  ;  the  shop, 
as  it  was  tersely  expressed,  being  "  burnt  clean  out." 

Apothecaries'  Assistants'  Examination. 

At  the  October  examinations  of  the  Society  of  Apothe- 
caries the  following  candidates  were  granted  the  certificate 
of  qualification  to  act  as  an  assistant  to  an  apothecary  in 
compounding  and  dispensing  medicines :  A.  R.  Akerigg, 
D.  Annaheim,  J.  E  Arnott,  C.  Batterby,  A.  M.  Baxter,  J.  W. 
Bayley,  L.  Bell,  W.  M.  Brown,  M.  A.  Campbell,  W.  M. 
Christian,  A.  C.  Clare,  D.  M.  G  Clark,  L.  Coventry,  A.  C. 
David,  D.  M.  Deverell,  A.  G.  Eveleigh,  R.  Fielding,  E.  M. 
Girling,  B.  M.  Graves,  M.  Howard,  M.  E.  Hutton,  J.  H. 
James,  S.  M.  S.  Jones,  E.  M.  Kellett,  C.  M.  Lawton,  M.  A. 
Lewis,  L.  M.  Mann,  G.  A.  Marshall,  D.  G.  Miller,  A.  L. 
Mitchell,  A.  L.  Morton,  K.  A.  Nicholls,  W.  J.  Peacock,  P. 
Powell,  J.  E.  Pullin,  S.  C.  Ronton,  E.  L.  Reynolds,  A.  Skey, 
R.  J.  Thomas,  A  E.  Vigurs,  H.  Wale,  W.  L.  Waters,  M.  H. 
Whalley,  F.  J.  Wheeler,  M.  Whittome,  W.  M.  Williams. 

Settling-up. 

The  officials  of  the  United  Alkali  Company  (Limited)  have 
been  busy  during  the  last  few  weeks  investigating  and 
settling  the  many  claims  for  damage  to  property  caused 
by  the  explosion  of  chlorate  of  potassium  at  Kurtz's  Chemical- 
works  in  May.  1899.  The  Corporation  of  St.  Helens  have 
recovered  3,500Z.  for  damage  done  to  their  gasworks.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Prescot  Board  of  Guardians  on  October  24, 
the  Clerk  reported  that  the  company  had  paid  2U.  claimed 
as  compensation  for  damage  done  to  the  relieving  offices  at 
St.  Helens,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  St.  Helens  and  District 
Property-owners'  Association,  the  Secretary  reported  that 
about  a  dozen  members  have  received  their  compensation 
for  damage  done  to  their  property  in  various  parts  of  the 
town.  Other  claims  were  under  consideration.  The  general 
opinion  is  that  the  United  Alkali  Company  have  met  the 
claims  very  fairly. 

Birmingham  Notes. 

One  of  Messrs.  Bellamy  &  Wakefield's  new  handsome  plate- 
glass  window-panes  has  come  to  grief,  it  is  balieved  by 
reason  of  the  frame  not  yielding  to  the  expansive  force  of 
the  glass.  V.s.s. 

Mr.  Walter  Johnson,  chemist,  Sterchley  Street,  has  been 
appointed  collector  of  accounts  for  the  gas  department  of 
Birmingham  during  the  month  of  November.  Evidently 
chemists  are  in  great  demand  for  this  kind  of  agency. 

The  following  prescription  was  handed  in  to  a  suburban 
pharmacy  last  week  and  necessitated  a  journey  to  the 
wholesaler : — 

ft    Kali  platino-ehloridi    gr,  viij. 

Aquse  rosse  ad    ^vj. 

M.    Ft.  mist. 
5ss.  ter  die. 

What  could  it  be  used  for  ?  Should  the  result  be  a  clear 
liquid  1 

The  Post  gives  Messrs.  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.  a  silent  ad- 
vertisement by  telling  its  readers  that  "  Dr.  Jokichi 
Takamine,  a  Japanese,  claims  to  have  discovered  the 
possibility  of  bloodless  surgery  through  the  medium  of  a 
chemical  composition  called  adrenalin.  By  its  application 
in  solution  operations  may  be  performed  on  the  nose,  ear, 
and  eye  without  spilling  a  drop  of  blood.  It  is  the  most 
powerful  remedy  known,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  ex- 
pensive, beiDg  4s.  a  grain  or  1.400Z.  a  pound." 


A  new  society  of  medical  men  is  in  progress  of  formation 
which  has  as  its  secretary  Mr.  Neal,  of  Small  Heath.  It 
will  run  a  journal,  and  have  for  its  object  the  repulsion  of 
encroachments  on  "the  profession." 

MNs  William3,  who  has  held  the  disppnsership  of  the 
Provident  Dispensary,  Farm  Street,  Hockley,  for  several 
years,  is  about  to  be  married,  The  post  will  shortly  be 
vacant,  and  only  ladies  need  apply  to  the  secretary  f  jr 
particulars  of  the  duties. 

The  Edison  Bioscope  Exhibition,  with  its  searchlight 
advertii-ement  carrying  a  beam  of  light  fifteen  miles,  has  a 
smack  of  pharmacy  about  it  this  week.  The  cod-liver  oil 
industry  of  Newfoundland  was  displayed,  and  sweet  music 
was  discoursed  by  a  military  band,  with  the  permission  of 
Colonel  Wyley  (Coventry). 

The  proprietors  of  a  certain  hair-preparation  have  been 
in  Birmingham  offering  51.  silver  watches  to  the  chemist 
who  purchased  10/.  of  the  stuff.  Then  the  game  be<*n; 
each  to  whom  the  offer  was  made  called  on  his  brother-chip 
by  way  of  distribution  of  excess  stock  and  thus  securing  the 
prize,  and  did  not  state  what  was  the  reason,  and  each  kept 
his  own  counsel;  but  whether  anyone  secured  the  watch  has 
not  leaked  out. 

Since  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Irvine,  the  Birmingham  Con 
sultative  Institute  has  been  without  a  consultant,  and  at  the 
present  time  there  is  a  deadlock.  The  promoters  will  take 
steps  to  fill  the  appointment,  but  when  has  not  been  decided. 
Mr.  A.  Chamberlain  complains  in  a  letter  to  the  local  Press 
that  Dr.  Saundby  is  now,  by  advertising  his  name  in  con- 
nection with  the  General  Hospital,  doing  what  he  prevents 
the  Institute  doing. 

Messrs.  Ayrton  &  Saunders's  exhibition  of  druggists 
sundries,  &c,  at  the  Woolpack  Hotel,  Moor  Street,  Birming- 
ham, has  attracted  many  visitors  this  week.  Assistants  and 
apprentices,  as  well  as  biyers,  are  freely  invited  to  inspect 
the  show,  which  is  kfpt  open  nightly  untd  11  o'clock,  so  that 
it  can  be  seen  after  business-hours.  It  remains  opsu  until 
November  9. 

Oxford  Items. 

Mayor  George  Claridge  Druce  has  been  re-electad  un- 
opposed a  member  of  the  City  Council  for  the  South  Ward. 

The  Master  of  University  (Mr.  J.  Franck  Bright),  who 
has  served  on  the  Council  and  Local  Board  for  twenty-five 
years  as  representative  of  the  University,  has  resigned.  The 
Master  has  done  much  during  his  long  term  of  office  to 
advance  the  cause  of  technical  education  in  the  city. 

The  Mayor  of  Oxford  (Mr.  G.  Claridge  Druce,  M.A.)  gave 
sundry  further  examples  of  his  versatility  and  wide  ran^e  of 
knowledge  last  week  in  the  course  of  his  Mayoral  duties. 
On  October  21  he  presided  at  the  first  of  a  course  f  six 
lectures  on  practical  astronomy  which  are  being  delivered 
by  Mr.  H.  H.  Turner,  D.Sc,  F.R.S.,  Savilian  Professor  of 
Astronomy,  in  connection  with  the  University  Extension 
movement.  In  the  course  of  his  speech  when  introducing 
the  Professor,  Mr.  Druce  sketched  lightly  the  evolution  of 
the  science  of  astronomy  from  the  discovery  of  Frauenhofer's 
lines  in  1814  up  to  the  star-photography  of  the  present  day. 

A  new  crusade  has  been  opened  for  "  The  Home  of  Lo  t 
Causes "  in  connection  with  the  National  Society  for  Pro- 
moting the  Welfare  of  the  Feebleminded.  Mayor  Druce 
presided  at  the  local  branch  held  last  week,  and  incidentally 
stated  that  he  was  one  of  those  who  opposed  the  spending 
of  money  in  building  large  establishments  for  holding 
sufferers  from  tuberculosis  or  such  diseases.  Large  sana- 
toria in  open  situations  another  generation  might  not  think 
so  desirable,  and  in  that  case  the  money  spent  in  building 
would  be  wasted. 

The  Duchess  of  Marlborough  presented  the  prizes  to  the 
successful  students  attending  the  Oxford  City  Technical 
School  on  October  23  in  the  Municipal  Buildings  The 
Mayor  presided,  and  members  of  the  Corporation  and  the 
University  attended  in  their  civic  and  academic  robes.  Mr. 
Druce  in  his  address  began  at  the  Stone  Age  and  ended  with 
the  "  Turbioia."  While  commending  the  advantages  of 
technical  education,  he  asked  his  audience  not  to  forget  that 
all  the  advances  in  mechanism  and   mechanical  genius 


716 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


which  had  led  to  such  ennrmous  developments  during  the 
past  century,  had  been  primarily  due  to  uneducated  work- 
men, and,  to  a  great  extent,  uneducated  master.*,  and  there- 
fore we  must  not  be  too  scornful  of  those  who  were  simply 
workers  by  hand  and  not  by  brain.  They  must  see  that 
England  did  not  lag  behind  in  the  race  for  commercial 
supremacy,  and  if  England  but  turned  her  attention  to 
education  there  would  be  no  fear  for  her  future. 

^Charge  against  Company  Directors. 

Since  our  last  report  (see  C.  $  J).,  October  26,  page  672) 
the  number  of  prisoners  charged  at  the  Manchester  Police 
Court  with  conspiring  to  defraud  in  connection  with  the 
Patent  Novelties  Manufacturing  Company  (Limited)  has 
been  increased  to  thirteen.  The  case  came  up  again  on 
October  29,  when  Mr.  W.  L.  Hookin,  who  appeared  for  the 
prosecution,  said  the  prisoners  were  charged  with  the  issue 
of  false  prospectuses  and  false  balance-sheets,  showing 
extraordinary  profits  in  the  carrying  on  of  a  manufacturin  g 
business  which  they  never  were  carrying  on.  They  issued  in 
1897  a  sheet  showing  profits  of  4,498/.,  all  of  which  were 
only  in  the  clouds.  He  applied  for  a  remand,  to  allow  time 
for  the  examination  of  the  documents  and  papers  connected 
with  the  case.  Probably  the  whole  of  them  would  not  be 
obtainable ;  but  the  police  had  secured  between  twenty  and 
twenty-five  boxes  of  them.  The  frauds  had  been  continuous 
since  June  7,  1892.  The  matter  was  being  investigated  at 
the  Treasury. 

Committed. 

At  Wood  Green  Police  Court  on  October  25.  Alfred  Joseph 
Heniffshead  was  charged  with  appropriating  8/.  19s.  5d.,  the 
moneys  of  his  employer,  Walter  Geo.  Clark,  of  Messrs.  Clark 
&  Son,  chemists,  Edmonton.  Prosecutor  said  he  employed 
prisoner  as  manager  of  his  Ponders  End  branch  three  years 
ago.  All  payments  were  first  roighly  recorded  on  a  piece 
of  paper  kept  on  the  counter.  He  had  received  sums  of 
money  from  prisoner  from  time  to  time  as  the  takings  at 
the  shop,  but  there  had  been  no  settlement.  On  October  20 
he  went  to  Ponders  End  between  8  and  9  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  accompanied  by  one  of  his  sons,  but  found  the 
shop  closed.  He  entered  by  means  of  a  latch-key.  Prisoner 
did  not  return  that  evening,  and  witness  left  the  shop  as  he 
found  it.  Next  day  he  saw  prisoner,  who  explained  his 
absence  on  the  previous  day  by  stating  that  he  had  missed 
the  last  train  from  London.  A  few  days  afterwards  prosecutor 
asked  prisoner  for  the  takings,  and  he  replied  that  someone 
had  been  in  the  shop  and  taken  them — either  prosecutor  or 
somebody  else.  Prisoner  declined  to  produce  his  books 
when  requested,  but  ultimately  gave  them  up.  Prosecutor 
compared  the  record  with  his  books  at  the  Edmonton  shop, 
and,  after  having  casted  up  in  the  presence  of  prisoner, 
pointed  out  that  81.  19,s.  5d.  was  due  from  him.  Prisoner  said 
he  had  not  the  money,  and  told  prosecutor  to  do  as  he  liked 
in  the  matter.  Defendant,  who  pleaded  not  guilty,  was 
committed  for  trial. 

Hawking  Cough-lozenges. 

At  the  Manchester  City  Police  Court  on  October  30,  before 
Messrs.  H.  Philips  and  T.  Parkinson,  a  well-dressed  young 
man  named  Charles  Henry  Longmore,  residing  at  5  Tiverton 
Street,  Ardwick,  was  charged  with  hawking  without  a 
licence.  The  evidence  of  the  police  and  other  witnesses 
showed  that  the  prisoner  had  made  calls  at  a  number  of 
houses  and  offered  for  sale  bDxes  of  cough-lozenges  at  2d.  a 
box.  He  had  told  householders  that  he  was  a  representative 
of  thi  firm  of  Boots,  Cash  Chemists ;  that  the  lozenge3  were 
for  children,  and  that  after  the  present  week  they  would  be 
sold  at  6d.  per  box,  the  only  difference  being  that  there 
would  then  be  twenty-five  more  lozenges  in  each  box.  One 
of  the  ladies  who  bad  secured  a  box  said  she  believed  the 
prisoner,  and,  knowing  Boots'  by  reputation,  believed  she  was 
getting  a  cheap  line.  The  policeman  who  arrested  the 
prisoner  said  he  offered  him  half-a-sovereign  to  let  him  go. 
The  officer  made  inquiries  at  Messrs.  Boots'  and  found  the 
prisoner's  story  to  be  false.  Thos.  Littlefair,  manager  of 
Messrs.  Boots'  Oldham  Street  branch,  said  he  did  not  know 
the  prisoner,  and  he  did  not  represent  their  firm  that  he  was 
aware  of.  He  did  not  believe  Boots'  kept  the  class  of  goods 
the  prisoner  had  been  hawking.  The  lozenges  (produced) 
were  worth  about  3d.  per  lb.    The  prisoner  said  he  did  not 


know  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  licence  for  selling  any- 
thing to  eat.  He  was  fined  5s.  and  costs,  or  seven  days' 
imprisonment. 

Charges  of  Theft. 

At  the  Clerkenwell  Police  Court  on  October  30,  Jame* 
Guest  (30),  a  packer,  of  37  Shirland  Road,  Paddington,  was 
charged  on  remand  with  stealirg  on  October  25,  from. 
82  Clerkenwell  Road,  thiee  bottles  of  medicated  wine,  and 
two  tins  of  coffee,  value  14s  ,  the  property  of  James  Herbert 
Crispe,  druggists'  sundriesman.  The  prisoner  had  been  in  the 
prosecutor's  employ  for  nine  months.  In  addition  to  the 
property  above  mentioned  Detective  Selby  found  at  the 
prisoner's  address  about  forty  articles  that  had  evidently 
been  stolen  from  the  prosecutor's  premises.  Mr.  D'Eyncourt 
sentenced  the  accused  to  six  weeks'  imprisonment. 

At  the  Mansion  House  on  October  25,  before  the  Lord 
Mayor,  Ernest  Harrison  (17),  a  messenger,  and  William 
Watson  (17),  a  basket- maker,  were  charged  with  being  con- 
cerned together  in  stealing  and  receiving  two  cans  containing 
41  lbs.  of  an  essential  oil  of  the  value  of  11.,  the  property  oZ 
Mr.  R.  C.  Treatt,  oil-merchant,  Dunster  House,  Mincing 
Lane.  Detective- constable  Thompson  stated  that  he  watched 
the  prisoners  on  Thursday  evening.  He  saw  them  approach 
the  prosecutor's  warehouse  by  French  Horn  Court,  Harrison* 
opening  the  door  with  a  key.  Both  went  in  together,  and 
shortly  afterwards  Watson  came  out  carrying  a  sacls. 
Witness  stopped  him  and  asked  what  was  in  it.  He 
replied,  "  I  don't  know  ;  my  mate  sent  me  out  with  it."  He 
was  taken  back  and  confronted  with  Harrison,  who  said, 
"  It's  a  late  order  for  Mr.  Collings."  There  being  no  labels- 
on  the  cans  witness  took  both  men  into  custody.  Mr. 
Treatt  stated  that  Harrison  was  an  assistant  in  his  ware- 
house. He  was  rightly  in  the  possession  of  the  key,  tut  had 
no  authority  to  visit  the  warehouse  after  the  premises  had 
been  closed.  The  cans  bad  not  been  ordered  by  Mr.  Collings. 
A  shortage  was  discovered  at  the  stocktaking  in  September, 
but  witness  had  not  communicated  with  the  police.  The 
prisoners  were  remanded. 

Carefulness  in  Bookkeeping 

is  evidently  a  rule  in  the  establishment  of  Messrs.  May, 
Roberts  &  Co.,  of  Clerkenwell  Road,  EC,  because,  by  the 
precaution  of  one  of  their  clerks  in  taking  the  numbers  of 
crossed  postal  orders  which  he  sent  to  Messrs  Marion 
James,  Ker  &  Co.  (Limited),  wholesale  chemists,  of  Durham 
Grove,  Hackney,  a  supposed  housebreaker  was  caught. 
The  thief  or  thieves  carried  off,  amongst  other  things,  these 
crossed  postal  orders;  but  they  were  eventually  paid  in  to 
the  account  of  a  local  publican,  and  then  traced  to  a  man 
who  was  in  the  dock  of  the  North  London  Police  Court  on 
Monday.  The  actual  warehouse-breaking  has  not  yet  been 
proved  against  the  man  ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  the  commer- 
cial accuracy  of  Messrs.  May,  Roberts  &  Co.  led  the  police  up 
to  this  important  stage — so  the  court-reporter  writes  to  us, 
James  Boundall,  the  man  referred  to,  was  remanded. 

Signing  the  Poisons-book. 
At  Kettering  on  October  24,  an  inquest  was  held 
on  the  body  of  Mrs.  Emma  Heighton,  who  died  from 
poisoning  by  cyanide  of  potassium.  Mr.  Edwin  Thorp, 
pharmaceutical  chemist,  High  Street,  Kettering,  said 
on  October  22  the  deceased  asked  him  for  some  cyanide  of 
potassium.  Witness  replied  that  he  could  not  serve  her, 
whereupon  she  said  that  her  husband,  whj  was  away  from 
home,  required  it  for  electroplating.  Witness  replied  that 
her  husband  had  better  fetch  it  himself.  Deceased  returned 
later  in  the  day,  saying  that  her  husband  was  out  all  day, 
but  wanted  to  get  on  with  the  work  that  night,  so  witness 
sold  her  about  an  ounce  of  cyanide  in  a  box  labelled 
"  Poison."  On  the  following  day  the  woman  returned  and 
asked  for  more  cyanide  of  potassium.  When  asked  if  her 
husband  had  a  proper  place  to  put  it  in,  she  replied  that  he  had, 
and  that  he  also  knew  tnw  to  use  the  chemical.  Mr.  Thorp 
sold  her  another  ounce  also  in  a  box  with  a  "  Poison  "  label. 
He  produced  his  poison-book  showing  that  Mrs.  Heighton 
signed  for  the  first  quantity,  but  not  for  the  second.  Reply- 
ing to  the  Coroner  (Mr.  J.  T.  Parker),  he  said  he  hardly 
considered  it  necessary  for  her  to  sign  the  second  time 
The  Coroner:  Do  the  regulations  of  the  Pharmaceutical 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


717 


Society  say  if  you  sign  one  day  you  need  not  sign  the  next  1 
Witness :  I  think  that  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  chemist. 
The  Coroner :  There  is  no  discretion  in  the  matter,  and  if 
you  do  not  observe  the  law  you  run  a  risk,  and  I  think  the 
penalty  is  something  heavy.  Is  this  a  deadly  poison  1 
Witness  :  It  is.  The  Coroner:  Th6n  you  ought  to  deal  with 
this  stuff  more  carefully.  Mr.  Heighton :  I  thought  they 
could  not  sell  a  deadly  poison  to  a  person  if  they  were  not 
known.  Mr.  Thorp :  I  knew  her  by  sight.  Mr.  Heighton  : 
You  don't  know  her,  because  she  has  never  been  out  by  her- 
self for  three  years.  What  you  have  said  is  untrue,  for  there 
are  very  few  who  do  know  her,  for  she  has  been  in  very  little 
company.  Further  questioned  by  the  Coroner  (who  then  had 
the  poison-book  before  him),  witness  said  he  had  put  in  the 
large  bracket  connecting  the  entry  made  on  the  occasion  of 
the  first  purchase  with  the  second  subsequent  to  the  purchase. 
The  Coroner,  in  summing  up,  said  Mr.  Heighton  had  some 
ground  for  complaining  of  a  certain  amount  of  carelessness 
in  the  selling  of  a  deadly  poison.  If  the  chemist  had  kept  to 
his  first  intention  not  to  sell  the  woman  any  poison  he 
would  have  been  all  right  and  nothing  would  have  happened. 
If  he  had  stuck  to  the  law  that  very  likely  would  not  have 
happened.  The  incident  showed  the  necessity  of  people  who 
sold  poisons  doing  so  according  to  law  in  all  details.  In  this 
case  he  thought  there  had  been  carelessness  on  the  part  of  the 
chemist.  The  jury,  in  retorting  a  verdict  of  suicide  while 
insane,  added  a  rider  to  the  effect  that  they  considered  the 
chemist,  Edwin  Thorp,  had  been  guilty  of  great  neglect  in 
selling  cyanide  of  potassium  to  the  deceased.  In  their 
opinion,  he  did  not  know  her  either  by  sight  or  by  name,  and 
they  thought  his  conduct  under  the  circumstances  deserving 
of  censure.  At  the  close  the  Coroner  read  the  rider  to  Mr. 
Thcrp  and  said,  '•  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  what  the  jury 
have  said." 

"Dr."  Head  Discharged. 

Absolom  William  Head  (53),  described  as  a  medical  assist- 
ant, was  indicted  at  the  Central  Criminal  Court  on  October  30 
for  the  manslaughter  of  Michael  Guiry.  After  hearing  the 
evidence,  the  jury  acquitted  the  prisoner,  adding  an  ex- 
pression of  their  opinion  that  no  effort  should  be  spared  to 
make  it  impossible  for  unqualified  medical  men  to  jeopardise 
the  health  of  the  public  by  indiscriminate  treatment.  The 
Recorder  pointed  out  that  the  prisoner  might  still  be  prose- 
cuted, and  probably  would  be,  for  acting  as  a  medical  man 
when  he  was  not  duly  qualified.  The  prisoner  was 
accordingly  discharged. 

The  Week's  Poisonings. 

Since  last  week  fifteen  fatalities  from  poisoning  are 
reported,  three  only  of  these  being  caused  by  the  unscheduled 
poisons — ammonia,  hydrochloric  acid,  and  sulphonal.  The 
sulphonal  was  supplied  in  cachets  by  Mr.  Cuthbert  Pascal!, 
of  64  Baker  Street,  W.,  to  Lady  Campbell,  of  Seymour  Street, 
W.  Amongst  the  scheduled  poisons  carbolic  acid  is  an  easy 
first  with  six  victims,  the  other  poisons  employed  being 
laudanum  (taken  by  a  Leicestfr  woman),  oxalic  acid  (used 
by  a  sailor  at  Pembroke  Deck),  cyanide  of  potassium 
(Kettering),  morphine  (self-injected  by  a  retired  surgeon  at 
Worthing,  who  was  also  in  the  habit  of  inhaling  chloroform), 
and  bichloride  of  mercury.  The  last  was  taken  by  a  post- 
office  official  who  used  the  solution  in  photography. 
Attempts  at  suicide  were  made  with  oxalic  acid,  laudanum, 
chloroform,  and  salts  of  lemon.  A  2-year-old  boy  in  West 
London  got  hold  of  a  bottle  of  opium-liniment  and  drank  a 
quantity.  He  was  promptly  taken  to  the  hospital  and 
recovered. 


"Cash  Chemist."—  Truth  tells  this  week  that  a  circular 
addressed  to  "  Mr.  Green,  cash  chemist,  Bolton,"  was  sur- 
charged as  "  of  the  nature  of  a  letter,"  and  the  addressee 
who  had  to  pay  for  it  was  informed  that  this  was  because 
the  address  contained  the  words  "cash  chemist."  "The 
words  referred  to,"  says  our  contemporary,  "  are  part  of  the 
address,  and  it  might  just  as  well  be  said  that  a  document 
ceases  to  be  a  circular  within  the  meaning  of  the  regulations 
because  the  addressee  is  described  as  '  Esquire.'  "  But  how 
delicious  it  is  to  think  that  there  is  a  little  compensation  in 
the  dreadful  title  1 


3mb  IRews. 


Local  newspapers  containing  marked  items  of  news  interesting 
to  the  trade  are  always  welcomed  by  the  Editor, 


Personal. 

The  Royal  University  of  Ireland  on  October  25  conferred 
the  degree  of  D.Sc,  honoris  causa,  upon  Professor  Walter 
Noel  Hartley. 

The  degree  of  M.A.  was  on  October  23  confprred  on  Dr. 
J.  0.  McWalter  by  the  Chancellor  of  the  Royal  University  of 
Ireland,  the  Marquis  of  Dufferin  and  Ava. 

Messrs.  G.Jameson  Johnston  and  Ninian  Falkiner,  and  Sir 
Charles  Cameron  have  been  elected  to  the  Council  of  ths 
Royal  Academy  of  Medicine  in  Ireland.  Dr.  Falkiner  has 
been  appointed  President  of  the  Section  of  State  Medicine 
in  the  same  Academy.  All  three  gentlemen  &re  "  old  boys  " 
of  pharmacy. 

Accidental  Poisoning. 

On  October  26  a  woman  named  Mary  Brennan,  of  56  Great 
Brunswick  Street,  Dublin,  died  at  Sb.  Vincent's  Hospital 
from  the  effects  of  swallowing  a  poisonous  liniment  by 
mistake  for  medicine. 

Contracts. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Meath  Hospital  and  County  Dublin 
Infirmary  on  October  28,  the  contract  for  the  supply  of 
surgical  dressings,  &c,  was  given  to  the  Medical  Supply 
Association,  while  Messrs.  Boileau  &  B)yd  got  the  contract 
for  drugs. 

The  Local  Government  Board  has  cancelled  the  contract 
for  medicines  to  the  Rithdrum  Union  held  by  Mr.  R. 
McKay,  Newtown,  Mount  Kennedy.  The  Guardians  have 
paid  over  the  sum  of  58/.  to  Mr.  McKay  as  a  set-off  to  their 
liability. 

Royal  Appointment. 

Mr.  John  Evans,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  apothscary,  and 
surgeon,  the  Medical  Hall,  Dawson  Street,  Dublin,  has  been 
appointed  chemist  to  the  King.  This  medical  hall  is  the 
second  oldest  in  the  kingdom,  having  been  founded  in  1684 
(<7.  4-  D.,  July  27,  page  129). 

Disputed  Gas-account. 

The  Bangor  (co.  Down)  Urban  District  Council,  at  New- 
tonards  Quarter  Sessions  on  October  24,  sued  Mr.  W. 
Hanna,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  Main  Street,  Bangor,  for 
51.  2s.  \\d.  for  gas.  Mr.  Hanna  bas  tendered  4/.  14s  6d.  in 
settlement,  the  balance  being  deducted  because  a  large 
number  of  jets  of  gas  left  burning  a*;  night  were  extinguished 
through  defects  at  the  works.  The  Town  Clerk  endeavoured 
to  prove  the  quantity  of  gas  by  the  meter- book,  but  the  Judge 
ruled  that  that  was  not  admissible;  the  gas-manager  would 
have  to  be  present.  The  case  was  therefore  adjourned,  the 
plaintiffs  to  pay  costs  of  the  day. 

A  Suspected  Cake. 

A  mysterious  poi=oning-case  is  being  investigated  at 
Strabane.  Two  children,  after  eatirg  a  cake  procured  at  a 
confectioner's,  were  taken  ill  and  died.  The  inquest  was 
adjourned  to  allow  of  an  analysis  of  the  contents  of  the 
stomachs. 

For  Northern  Students. 

The  schools  of  science  and  technology,  Working-men's 
Institute,  Belfast,  have  been  taken  over  by  the  Municipal 
Technical  Institute.  Classes  in  vaiious  subjects  have  been 
arranged  at  low  fees,  and  a  special  department  of  chemistry 
and  pharmacy  organised.  Mr.  T.  Harper,  pharmaceutical 
chemist  (Ireland)  and  chemist  and  druggist  (Great  Britain), 
is  in  charge  of  the  pharmaceutical  department.  Full 
courses  of  instruction  in  evening  classes  begin  on  Septem- 
ber 30  and  January  6.  The  prospectus  can  be  obtained 
from  Mr.  Harper,  at  the  Working-men's  Institute,  Qaeen's 
Street,  Belfast. 


718 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


Scotcb  IRews, 


Iiocal  mwspapers  containing  marked  items  of  news  interesting 
to  the  trade  are  always,  welcomed  by  the  Editor. 

Business  Change. 
Mr-  Thos.  Hislop,   late  of  the   Glasgow  Apothecaries 
Company,  ha-i  opened  a  high-class  pharmacy  at  409  New 
City  Road,  Glasgow. 

Personal. 

Mr.  D.  Steven,  chemist  and  druggist,  formerly  with  Mr. 
Jr.'MoMiHan,  chemist,  Glasgow,  and  at  present  with  Messrs. 
PinkertOH,  Gibson  &  Co.,  wholesale  druggists,  Edinburgh,  has 
joint d  the  representative  staff  of  Messrs.  Meggeson  &  Co. 
(Limited),  London,  whom  he  will  represent  in  Scotland  and 
the  North  of  England. 

Poisoning. 

James  McGowan,  dairyman,  Restalrig,  died  in  Edinburgh 
Royal  Infirmary,  on  October  25,  from  the  effects  of  poisoning. 
He  had  apparently  drunk  a  "  horse  draught." 

Edinburgh  Pharmacy  Golf  Club. 

The  final  competition  for  the  Dick  Medal  was  played  over 
the  Braids  last  w-  ek,  the  winner  being  Mr.  A.  C.  Aitken, 
who  al-o  obtains  the  aggregate  prize  for  winning  the  medal 
the  greatest  number  of  times  during  the  year. 

Nearly  One  Hundred  Years  Ago. 

A  contributor  to  the  Weekly  Scotsman  states  that  in  1807 
there  were  several  lady  chemists  in  Scotland.  In  the  Edin- 
burgh Postal  Directory  of  that  year  three  ladies  are  recorded 
as  heads  of  houses  connected  with  the  drug-trade.  They 
were :  —Miss  Davie,  chemist,  29  Nicolson  Street ;  Mrs. 
Henderson,  Laboratory  ,  80  Nicolson  Street ;  and  Mrs  Car- 
gill,  London  Patent-medicine  Warehouse,  86  South  Bridge. 
In  1817  Mrs.  Henderson  had  removed  to  63  Nicolson  Street. 

Scientific  Training, 

Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh,  the  newly  elected  Chancellor  of 
St.  Andrews  Uaiversity,  speaking  at  the  University  College, 
Dander,  m  O  jt  >ber  25,  said  that  German  chemistry  had  de- 
prived Britain  of  the  iadigo-trade,  that  we  had  to  go  to  other 
countries  tor  mr  goods,  and  that,  generally  speaking,  trade 
in  this  country  is  in  a  bad  way.  The  Britisher  relied  upon 
old  methods,  while  the  German  employed  newer.  It  was  the 
business  of  the  University  to  help  the  manufacturers  of  this 
country  to  pui  an  end  to  this.  What  they  wanted  in  Dundee 
was  a  gr-ater  -ubiivision  of  subjects.  They  wanted  a  chair 
of  geology  aad  much  more  subdivision  in  the  different 
branches  of  chemistry,  and,  first  and  foremost,  a  chair  of 
the  German  language  and  literature. 


f  rencb  IRem 

(From  our  Paris  Correspondent.) 


Fiee  at  a  Drug-warehouse. — A  very  destructive  fire 
took  plare  last  week  in  the  drug-warehouse  belonging  to 
M.  B  nine  ty,  rue  de  l'Abbaye,  at  Nice.  The  flames  spread 
rapidly,  being  fed  by  the  combustible  nature  of  the  stock 
and  a  lage  store  of  alcohol.  A  detachment  of  soldiers 
helped  the  firemen  to  get  the  flames  under  control  by 
emptying  several  cartloads  of  sand  on  the  flames. 

Coloured  Canaries. — A  Paris  canary -breeder,  M.  Bourez, 
claims  bo  have  found  a  method  for  producing  red  canary 
birds.  This  colour  is  obtained  by  giving  the  parent  birds 
finely  ground  Cayenne  pepper  with  their  food.  A  gradual 
change  in  the  colour  of  the  feathers  is  the  result.  Thus  far 
the  red  obtained  has  an  orange  tint,  but  with  perseverance 
M.  Bourez  expects  to  produce  brilliantly  red  canaries.  [The 
pepper  has  been  used  in  England  for  many  years,  and 
there  are  no  red  birds  yet. — Ed.  C.  %  B.J 

Air  in  Underground  Railways. — A.  Paris  chemist, 
M.  Gj  Ghaut,  says  the  air  in  the  underground  railway  here  is 
perfectly  healthy  and  fit  to  breathe.    He  is  professor  of 


general  physiology  at  the  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and 
made  the  analysis  by  the  request  of  the  prefect,  M.  Lepine, 
who,  ever  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  Parisians,  was  much 
exercised  by  the  frequent  complaints  of  suffocation  experi- 
enced by  passengers.  Over  one  hundred  analyses,  carried 
out  in  the  course  of  a  week,  show  that  the  air  in  the  second- 
class  compartments,  even  at  the  most  crowded  times  of  the 
day,  never  contains  more  than  1  per  cent,  of  carbonic- acid 
gas,  and  is  never  more  than  1  per  cent,  poorer  in  oxygen. 
Air  taken  in  the  stations  did  not  reveal  traces  of  carbonic- 
acid  gas. 

M.  Berthelot's  Jubilee. — The  commemoration  that  is 
being  prepared  for  next  month  of  M.  Berthelot's  golden 
scientific  anniversary  has  developed  into  what  promises  to 
be  an  imposing  manifestation  of  an  international  character. 
All  the  great  foreign  scientific  bodies  have,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  expressed  a  desire  to  send  representatives  to  Paris  to 
render  homage  to  the  famous  chemist  and  ex-statesman. 
Most  of  them  have  delegittd  members  to  form  part  of  a 
committee  of  honour,  of  which  the  President  is  M.  Darboux, 
permanent  secretary  of  the  Paris  Academy  of  Sciences.  The 
French  members  are  MM.  Moissan,  Troost,  Ditte,  Armand- 
Gautier,  Haller,  and  others  ;  while  the  thirty-one  foreign 
names  include  Sir  Henry  Roscoe  and  Professor  Ramsay. 

Advertising  Dentist.  —  Is  the  "cutter"  invading 
dentistry  as  well  as  pharmacy  1  American  dentistry,  like 
English  pharmacy,  has  always  been  associated  in  Paris  with 
first-class  work  and  fairly  high  prices.  But  some  flaring 
orange-coloured  posters  have  appeared  lately  advertising  an 
"  American  "  establishment  of  dentistry,  where  facilities  of 
payment  are  accorded  without  increase  of  price  and 
Dufayel's  (sale  on  credit  and  hire  system)  tickets  are 
accepted.  The  tempting  announcement  bears  a  telephone 
number,  and  should  be  quite  irresistible  to  an  individual 
whose  temporarily  empty  pocket  is  aggravated  by  an  aching 
molar.  The  poster  is  of  respectable  dimensions,  and  is  all 
over  Paris. 

Is  France  Decadent? — At  the  recent  annual  meeting 
of  the  five  Academies  which  form  the  Institute  of  France, 
M.  Hanotaux,  ex- Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  read  a  paper  on 
this  question.  He  spoke  of  the  energy  and  initiative  shown 
by  chemists  in  assisting  the  vine-growers  in  combating  the 
phylloxera  scourge  that  begun  in  1878  to  devastate  France's 
greatest  source  of  wealth.  The  fields  were  flooded,  the  vines 
covered  with  bouillon  Bordeaux,  and  salvation  was  found 
when  the  moment  seemed  darkest.  M.  Hanotaux  referred 
to  colonial  expansion  as  an  evidence  of  France's  vitality.  In 
the  domain  of  science  he  said  this  country  is  fully  as 
brilliant  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  as  she  was 
a  hundred  years  ago.  She  had  lost  no  territory  in  it  pre- 
viously won,  and  had  sustained  no  defeat.  In  fact,  M.  Hano- 
taux concluded  that  as  a  whole  France  had  lost  nothing  of 
the  authority  and  influence  acquired  during  fifteen  hundred 
years  of  a  glorious  and  useful  existence.  The  Comte  de 
Franqueville  read  a  paper  on  "  The  Scientific  Balance-sheet 
of  the  Nineteenth  Century." 

Free  Trade  v.  Protection. — On  Friday  evening  of  last 
week  the  members  of  the  British  Chamber  of  Commerce  in 
Paris  engaged  in  an  afier-dinner  debate  on  the  subject  of 
"  Free  Trade  v.  Protection,"  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it 
was  rather  a  discussion  on  the  question  of  protection  in 
France.  A  well-known  French  free-trader  and  former 
Cabinet  Minister — M.  Yvts  Guyot — opened  the  discussion 
with  a  review  of  the  history  of  the  existing  French  tariff. 
He  remarked  that  all  articles  of  necessity  are  taxed  to  such 
an  extent  that  the  average  prices  of  forty-six  typical  articles 
of  general  consumption  were  found  to  be  17  per  cent,  dearer 
in  Paris  than  in  London.  The  protectionist  had  a  very  lame 
argument  to  the  effect  that  the  French  tariff  must  be  good, 
as,  in  spite  of  it,  France  is  not  ruined,  but  in  the  sugar- 
bounty  question  the  tariff  could  be  beheld  in  all  its  beauty. 
French  sugar  costs  a  fifth  less  in  London  than  in  Paris. 
The  Parisian  paid  a  heavy  tax  or  octroi  in  addition  to 
a  high  price,  but  Londoners  paid  no  such  tax.  He  con- 
cluded by  referring  to  protection  as  a  mischievous  system 
that  gave  advantages  to  a  few  to  the  detriment  of  the 
majority.  M.  E  Thery,  a  prominent  economist,  took  up  the 
side  of  protection.  He  expressed  admiration  for  England, 
and  concluded  that  while  free  trade  might  be  best  for  her, 
protection  was  most  suitable  for  France. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


719 


East  3nNan  mem 


Me.  W.  Cooper,  who  has  been  manager  to  Messrs.  A.  Abid 
&  Co.,  chemists,  Hyderabad,  Daccan,  for  the  past  three  years, 
has  resigned  his  position  owing  to  ill-health.  He  sailed  for 
home  on  October  19  per  s.s.  Oriental. 

The  Cocaine-habit  in  Bengal. — In  further  reference 
to  our  paragraph  of  last  week,  we  now  learn  that  the  Bengal 
Government  has  recently  called  for  reports  from  the  leading 
medical  officers  of  Calcutta  as  to  the  best  means  of  dealing 
with  the  growing  habit  of  cocaine-eating.  The  replies 
received  are  stated  to  be  unanimous  that  there  should  be  no 
restriction  upon  the  importation  of  the  drug,  but  that  nobody 
should  be  supplied  with'  a  quantity  over  \  gr.  without  a  pre- 
scription from  a  qualified  medical  man. 

Indian  Indigo  crop. — Messrs.  J.  Thomas  &  Co.,  Calcutta, 
in  their  report  dated  October  3,  state  that  the  probable  out- 
turn of  this  season's  manufacture  will  be  94,000  maunds, 
against  111,670  maunds  last  year.  Koonties  at  one  time 
looked  as  if  they  would  be  disappointing,  but  owing  to 
favourable  weather  the  estimated  total  crop  from  Behar  is 
now  calculated  at  56,600  maunds,  or  some  6,000  maunds  less 
than  in  the  previous  season.  Tirhoot  and  Chuprah  each 
show  a  falling-off  of  over  2,000  maunds.  Rain  is  reported 
from  some  factories,  but  a  heavy  downpour  is  required  to 
ensure  moisture  for  the  coming  year.  The  Benares  figures 
are  given  at  about  9,000  maunds,  but  the  North-West  out- 
turn is  likely  to  be  about  half  of  last  year,  though,  as  usual, 
the  estimates  can  only  be  taken  as  approximate  as  it  is  very 
difficult  to  obtain  reliable  reports. 


Colonial  anfc>  foreign  mem 


A  Canadian  S.C.I.— On  October  24  a  meeting  for  the 
purpose  of  organising  a  Canadian  branch  of  the  Society  of 
Chemical  Industry  of  Great  Britain  was  held  at  Toronto. 
There  was  a  fair  attendance.    Good  results  are  expected. 

German  Customs'  Tariff  Bill.— A  resolution  has  baen 
passed  by  the  German  National  Liberal  party  expressing  the 
hops  that  the  Federal  Council  will  modify  the  Customs  Tariff 
scheme  in  such  a  manner  as  to  provide  the  necessary  pro- 
tection for  agricultural  produce,  at  the  same  time  keeping 
the  protection  granted  within  such  limits  as  to  facilitate  the 
conclusion  of  commercial  treaties  of  long  duration,  which 
are  so  necessary  for  the  development  of  Germany. 

To  be  Revised.— Herr  Moller  has  ordered  the  Prussian 
Stores  Tax  Law  to  be  revised,  with  the  object  of  imparting 
to  it  a  little  more  clearness.  Its  obscurity  in  many  respects 
has  proved  a  great  obstacle  to  traders.  The  purpose  of  the 
law — to  handicap  the  proprietors  of  stores  by  levying  a 
special  tax  on  and  above  a  given  turnover  derived  from  trade 
in  more  than  one  class  of  goods— has,  it  is  said,  not  been 
attained,  as  big  capitalists  still  go  on  trading  as  usual,  and 
get  the  tax  out  of  the  purveyor  and  the  public  conjointly. 

Cure  for  Foot-and-Mouth  Disease.— At  the  opening 
meeting  of  the  National  Congress  of  Medicine  held  at  Pisa 
on  October  27,  Dr.  Baccelli,  the  Minister  of  Agriculture, 
described  his  method  for  treating  foot  and  mouth  disease. 
This  consists  of  injections  of  perchloride  of  mercury.  The 
dose  that  he  gives  to  calves  is  2  to  4  centigrammes 
(6  =  1  grain)  with  75  milligrammes  of  sodium  chloride  for 
every  4  centigrammes  of  the  sublimate  employed.  For  cows 
and  steers  4  to  6  centigrammes  is  the  dose  and  for  bulls  6 
to  8  centigrammes.  The  method  has  been  tried  in  various 
parts  of  Italy,  and  so  far  with  complete  success.  In  no  case 
where  the  affected  animal  was  treated  with  the  perchloride 
injections  has  a  fatal  result  supervened. 

Russian  Petroleum.— The  depression  prevailing  in  the 
Russian  petroleum  industry  has  induced  many  of  the  leading 
companies  and  firms  in  the  Baku  district  to  consider  what 
steps  should  be  taken  with  a  view  to  improving  the  position 
of  affairs.  It  is  now  announced  that  twenty-two  concerns, 
including  the  Caspian  Company  and  the  Russian  Petroleum 
and  Liquid  Fuel  Company,  have  enterel  into  a  provisional 


agreement  for  three  months,  whereby  all  the  free  stocks  of 
the  associated  firms  will  be  sold  not  by  themselves  directly 
but  indirectly  through  a  joint  committee,  which  will  act  as 
a  sales  bureau.  It  is  expected  by  this  means  to  impart 
greater  firmness  to  prices,  although  it  is  not  easy  to  under- 
stand how  this  will  be  effected  without  any  restriction  in  the 
output. 

The  Recent  Failures  in  Germany. — It  is  announced 
that  the  receiver  of  the  bankrupt  Trtber-Trocknurg  Com- 
pany at  Cassel  has  reported  that  the  non-privileged  creditors 
of  that  concern,  whose  claims  amounted  in  the  aggregate  to 
177,000,000m.,  would  receive  a  distribution  of  1  per  cent. 
Now  oumes  the  news  that  the  receiver  of  the  Leipziger  Bank, 
which  failed  through  the  collapse  of  the  Trtber-Trocknung 
Company,  has  published  a  list  of  the  bank's  holdings  arising 
from  its  connection  with  that  bankrupt  company.  The 
inventory  includes  claims  against  nine  non-bankrupt  firms, 
dividends  from  thirteen  liquidated  undertakings,  shares 
in  eighteen  undertakings,  most  of  which  are  valueless, 
and,  finally,  outstanding  debts  transferred  by  the  company 
to  the  amount  of  22,400  000m.,  which  are  valued  at 
nil.  The  Treber-Trocknung  Company  was  known  to  the 
drug-trade  as  extensive  producers  of  German  acetic  acid 
and  wood  alcohol. 


£rabe=fll>arh6  HppUeb  for. 


Objections  to  the  registration  of  any  of  the  undermentioned 
applications  should  be  lodged  with  C.  N.  Dalton,  Esq.,  C.B., 
Comptroller-General  of  Patents,  Designs,  and  Trade-marks, 
at  the  Patent  Office,  25  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery 
Lane,  London,  W.C.,  within  one  month  of  the  dates  men- 
tioned. The  objection  must  be  stated  on  Trade-marks  Form 
J,  cost  il.,  obtainable  through  any  money-order  office. 


(From  the  "  Trade-marks  Journal,"  October  16, 1901.) 
"  Venza  "  ;  for  medicines.    By  the  Venza  Medicine  Company, 
45    Smeaton    Street,    North  Ormesby,  Middlesborough. 
239,928. 

"  Tomce  "  ;  for  chemicals.  By  F.  H.  Bowden,  43  King  William 
Street,  E.C.  240,426. 

Label  device,  and  facsimile  signature  (the  essential  particular); 
for  an  ointment.  By  <J.  Barnard  &  Co.,  74  Forest  Lane, 
Stratford,  E.  240,028. 

"  Omsja  "  (the  essential  particular)  ;  for  a  cure  for  rheumatism. 
By  H.  Abbott,  1  Lower  Mount  Pleasant  Avenue,  Dublin. 
240,495. 

"  Calofilter  ";  for  goods  in  Class  6.  By  H.  Hocking,  7  York 
Street,  Liverpool.  240,456. 

"Fop";  for  photographs  and  photographic  paper.  By  R.  &  J. 
Beck  (Limited), 68  Comhill,  E.C.  240,364. 

"  Zymax  "  (no  claim  for  "  Zyme  ") ;  for  yeast  food.  By  the 
Malto-peptone  Company,  High  Street,  Needham  Market. 
238,859. 

"  Votala  "  ;  for  perfumery  and  toilet  articles.  By  the  Vinolia 
Company  (Limited),  Maiden  Crescent,  N.W.  240,035. 

"  Talium  "  (the  essential  particular);  for  perfumery  and  toilet 
articles.  By  J.  S.  Collins,  9  Tanfield,  Inverleith  Row, 
Edinburgh.  240,162. 

"  Velvoline " ;  for  a  skin- preparation.  By  A.  G-ibbs,  Victoria 
Hall  Chambers,  Southsea.  240,321. 

"  Rublet  " ;  for  furniture-cream,  plate-powder,  &c.  By  L.  T. 
Ashwell,  "Hazlewood,"  Warlingham,  Surrey.  239,798. 

"  Gelloids  "  (no  claim  for  "Gello");  for  gelatin  capsules  for 
containing  medicine.  By  Hance  Brothers  &  "White,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A.  239,935. 

(From  the  "  Trade  Maries  Journal"  October  23,  1901.) 

"  Indanthrene  " ;  for  goods  in  Classes  1  and  4-  By  the  Badische 
Anilin-  und  Soda-Fabrik,  Ludwigshafen-on-Rhine.  240,931 
and  240,932. 

Device  of  two  microscopic  slides,  one  clear,  the  other  with 
animalculfe,  and  small  label  below,  with  "  Salutaris  Water 
Company  "  ;  for  chemicals  in  Classes  1,  2,  3  and  fermented 
liquors.  By  the  Salutaris  Water  Company,  236  Fulham 
Road,  S.W.    239,653,  239  G54,  239,655,  and  239,633. 

"Vikola";  for  chemicals.  By  F.  H.  Faulding  &  Co.,  King 
William  Street,  Adelaide,  S.A.  239,489. 


720 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


©ur  Gown  traveller. 


MY  aim  is  still  to  search  (with  more  or  less  eagle  eye)  for 
the  Christmas  novelty,  and  to  thatend  I  invaded 
various  departments  at 

10  &c  12  Aldersgate  Street,  E.C , 

the  other  day,  where,  as  may  be  conje3tured,  both  eagle  eyes 
were  regaled  with  many  pleasiDg  novelties.  First  of  all,  I  in- 
spected two  sizes  of  the  "  travelling  odorator."  These  pretty 
and  ingenious  little  articles  may  be  filled  with  perfume  and 
sprayed,  when  required,  by  means  of  a  pump  inserted  in  the 
top.  I  notice  some  very  beautiful  tooth-brush,  tooth-powder, 
and  toilet-powder  boxes,  made  to  imitate  old  ivory,  artis- 
tically carved,  are  the  latest  departure  in  xylonite-work. 
The  tooth-powder  box  (for  use  in  travelling)  is  cork  lined, 
and  the  powder  is  contained  in  a  glass  tray.  The  stock  of 
perfume-sprays  in  variety  and  number  seem  ever  on  the 
increase,  and  I  despair  of  attempting  to  describe  them. 
The  newest  "  Maw  "  tooth-brush  has  an  extra  long  handle 
and  the  brush  is  shorter  and  "squatter"  than  usual. 
This  can  bs  used  not  only  for  the  teeth  but  also  for  the 
gums  and  the  palate.  Some  of  this  year's  puff-boxes  are 
very  pretty.  A  series  made  of  Scotch  fir-wood  in  terra-cotta, 
green,  or  other  shades  has  a  band  of  picture-faces  round 
the  box  and  a  dainty  face  on  top  These  are  the  usual 
shilling  or  eighteenpenny-line,  but  distinctive.  Some  of  the 
bag-puffs  are  very  pretty,  and  lovers  of  the  garish  will 
not  pass  lightly  a  gold-plated  puff-box  of  the  urn  pattern. 
In  the  perfume-department  Mr.  Jones  showed  me  a  large 
variation  of  caskets  in  which  the  imitation  Wedgwood 
pattern  predominated.  A  4-oz.  cutglass  stoppered  bottle, 
put  up  in  a  gelatined  case,  will  sell  readily  at  half  a 
guinea,  with  a  considerable  margin  of  profit  to  the  retailer. 
A  series  of  cases  containing  1,  2,  or  3  bottles  (to  sell  at 
3s.  Qd ,  5s.,  and  7s.  Qd.  respectively)  is  tasteful,  elegant,  and 
cheap.  The  cases  are  in  greenish  shades  with  classical 
female  figures  on  the  lid,  and  gilt  clasps  adorn  the  front. 
A  similar  series  of  Violette  de  Parme  is,  of  course,  in 
violet-coloured  cases.  The  "  Patriotic  "  case  with  two  flags 
crossed  (Union  Jack  and  King)  adorning  the  lid  is  likely 
to  be  popular  during  Coronation  year.  The  retail  price  is 
2s,  6d.  I  must  not  omit  another  "Maw  "  preparation  which 
is  tastefully  got  up  and  inexpensive.  It  is  "White-rose 
Brilliantine,"  put  up  in  a  cutglass  stoppered  bottle  with  a 
white  leatherette  label. 

The  Christmas  show  of  perfumery  and  toilet  articles  in 
the  City  showrooms  of  Messrs.  R.  Hovenden  &  Sons 
(Limited)  at 

85  to  95  City  Road,  E.C, 
illustrates  the  growth  in  recent  years  of  the  perfumed 
artificial  flower  for  decorative  purposes.  The  fern-baskets, 
floral-sprays,  bouquets,  and  buttonholes  (all  excellent  imita- 
tions of  the  real  article  and  effectively  perfumed)  are  to  be 
seen  in  multitudinous  variety,  so  much  so  that  perfumery 
strictly  so  called  appears  to  take  a  secondary  place.  Not 
only  geraniums,  roses,  chrysanthemums,  and  other  well- 
known  garden-flowers  have  their  counterparts  there,  but 
artificial  palms  and  evergreens  are  successfully  reproduced. 
Christmas  baskets  containing  perfumes  seem  to  be  a  never- 
failing  yearly  source  of  revenue  to  retailers  at  the  festive 
season,  and  this  year  they  depart  from  the  orthodox  strictly 
square  basket  and  assume  unorthodox  shapes.  These  baskets 
may  be  had  at  prices  from  2s  6d.  upwards.  Boxed  perfumes, 
to  sell  at  Qd.  and  Is.  (single  bottles),  are  good  value,  and 
a  shilling  box  containing  three  bottles  is  also  to  be  obtained. 
The  better-class  perfumes,  in  cut-glass  bottles,  are  to  be 
seen  there  at  prices  ranging  from  2s.  Qd.  to  one  guinea  per 
bottle;  and  boxed  soaps,  at  Qd.  and  Is.  per  box.  Butter- 
milk soap,  each  cake  triple-milled  and  nicely  wrapped  (three 
in  a  box,  to  sell  at  Is.),  is  a  smart  line.  Passing  onwards 
I  investigated  the  perfections  of  manicure  sets,  from  Is  to 
5s.  per  box.  Soap-stands  (for  the  bath-room),  in  two  sizes, 
have  separate  receptacles  for  a  sponge,  soap,  tooth-brush, 
nail-brush,  and  hair-brush.  Thermometers  in  boxwood  and 
rosewood,  to  retail  at  Qd.  and  Is.,  were  shown  me,  which 
looked  large,  and  were  clearly  marked.  Cards  of  sixpenny 
leather-covered  nail-scissors  are  found  a  paying  attraction 


by  many  London  chemists.  The  inspection  of  a  large  assort- 
ment of  hair,  tooth,  shaving,  and  nail  brushes  completed  my 
itinerary. 

Of  Christmas  novelties  Messrs.  Barclay  &  Sons  (Limited), 
have  a  good  display  at  the  showrooms  in 

95  Farringdon  Street,  E.C. 

Mr.  Greig  has  his  usual  large  and  assorted  stock  of  per- 
fumery ready  for  Christmas  business  (which,  by  the  way,  he 
says  is  brisk,  and  likely  to  continue  so),  and  the  range 
of  perfume-sprays,  on  which  he  prides  himself,  does 
not  diminish  either  in  lack  of  interest  or  variety.  The 
article,  however,  which  more  nearly  engages  his  attention, 
and  to  which  he  recently  called  mine,  is  "  Klip-Klip,"  the 
pocket  manicure,  an  illustration  of  which  is  given  herewith. 
This  unique  toilet-article  combines  many  of  the  features  of 
a  manicure  set.  It  can  be  used  for  either  hand  by  anybody, 
and  can  be  folded  to  fit  the  waistcoat-pocket.    The  illustra- 


tion shows  the  principle  on  which  the  machine  works.  It  is 
primarily  a  nail-trimmer,  but  besides  cleans  the  nails,  and 
files  them  when  in  a  rough  condition.  It  is  made  of  silver 
steel,  nickel  plated,  and  retails  at  Is.  A  new  variety  of 
flesh-brush,  which  takes  the  form  either  of  a  hand-glove  or 
of  a  strap,  was  shown  me,  which  by  friction  is  calculated  to 
produce  the  requisite  warmth  for  this  cold  weather.  The 
brush,  or  strap,  is  made  of  fibre,  and  these,  though  strong, 
are  soft  and  do  not  scratch.  Various  novelties  in  puff-boxes 
and  things  of  that  sort  engaged  my  attention  afterwards, 
and  I  noticed  besides  a  nickel-plated  antiseptic  spitting- 
bottle  for  invalid-travellers,  which  looks  handsome  and 
ensures  asepsis. 

Yet  another  of  our  well-known  provincial  drug-firms  has 
found  it  advisable  to  have  a  foothold  in  the  metropolis. 
The  latest  importation 

Comes  prom  Coventry, 
and  Messrs.  E.  W.  Jones  and  J.  W.  Johnston,  representing 
Messrs.  Wyleys  (Limited),  have  pitched  their  tent  at 
38  Wilson  Street,  Finsbury  Square,  E.C.  I  looked  in  there 
the  other  day,  but  found  that  alterations  and  "  moving  " 
arrangements  were  not  quite  completed.  The  formal  day  of 
opening  is  November  1,  and  in  a  week  or  two  samples  and 
stocks  of  all  Messrs.  Wyleys'  goods,  including  specimens  of 
packed  specialities,  may  be  inspected  there.  Doubtless  a 
firm  that  has  borne  the  brunt  of  the  battle  in  the  provincial 
drug-trade  for  over  150  years  will  not  flinch  before  the 
competitive  stress  of  Modern  Babylon. 
It  can  scarcely  be  affirmed  that  the 

Preservation  of  the  Dead 

is  an  enlivening,  or  even  an  agreeable,  subject.  But  to 
many  the  matter  is  one  of  considerable  interest,  and  cer- 
tainly the  apparatus  for  that  purpose  which  Messrs.  T. 
Christy  &  Co.,  of  4  Old  Swan  Lane,  E.G.,  is  showing  at  the 
Examination  Hall  of  the  Royal  Medical  College  on  Victoria 
Embankment  this  week  is  creating  a  considerable  stir  in 
medical  and  scientific  circles.  A  body  is  being  shown  in 
an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  that  condition  being 
effected  by  means  of  an  airtight  chamber  divided  into  two 
parts — the  disinfecting-chamber  in  which  the  body  is 
placed,  and  the  evaporating-chamber,  in  which  formic 
aldehyde  is  volatilised.  An  electric  fan,  driven  by  a  motor, 
circulates  the  vapour  from  the  air-chamber  to  the  other. 
The  vapour  of  formic  aldehyde,  it  is  contended,  can  pene- 
trate the  skin  and  permeate  the  tissues,  exerting  a  complete 
antiseptic  action  within  four  weeks.  Not  only  that,  but  it  is 
claimed  that  the  tissues  are  rendered  permanently  incap- 
able of  putrefaction,  and  though  sterilised  they  retain  much 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


721 


of  their  suppleness,  and  to  some  extent  their  colour.  An  ice- 
closet  placed  beneath  the  open -wire  shelf  on  which  the  body 
rests  is  used  to  restrain  the  action  of  the  intestinal  bacteria 
until  the  vapour  begins  to  produce  a  distinct  effect.  The 
temperature  of  the  chamber  is  kept  below  50°  F.  for  the  first 
two  days.  The  evaporating-chamber  contains  a  series  of 
vertical  open  cotton  sheet",  each  about  2  feet  square,  on 
which  the  formic  aldehyde  is  dropped.  The  size  of  the 
sheets  are  meant  to  afford  a  broad  surface  for  evaporation. 
A  copper  screen  shuts  off  the  evaporating-chamber  from  the 
other  when  it  is  desired  to  remove  the  body  without  allow- 
ing the  vapour  to  escape.  Experiments  show  that  cultures 
of  several  kinds  of  bacilli  are  killed  in  six  hours  when  placed 
in  the  disinfecting-chamber,  and  that  from  guinea-pigs 
poisoned  with  atropine,  arsenic,  morphine,  and  strychnine, 
after  treatment  for  eight  hours,  the  active  substances  may 
be  recovered  from  the  viscera.  Human  bodies  require  from 
two  to  four  weeks  for  sterilisation,  bu1;  zoological  specimens 
need  only  one  or  two  days.  Such  an  apparatus  will  be 
found  most  useful  in  medical  schools,  in  the  investigation  of 
criminal  cases — such  as  deaths  by  violence  and  by  poisoning, 
in  embalming,  and  on  board  ship  when  burial  at  sea  is 
objected  to,  and  when  exposing  bodies  to  public  inspection. 
The  cost  of  the  apparatus  is  from  80Z.  to  100Z.,  and  each 
body  disinfected  requires  about  §  gal.  crude  formic  aldehyde. 


personalities. 

Mr  T.  A.  Burgess,  chemist,  Aberavon,  has  been  installed 
as  Worshipful  Master  of  the  Afan  Lodge  of  Freemasons. 

Mr.  J.  S.  Prior,  chemist,  Stamford,  has  been  elected  to 
the  Committee  of  Management  of  the  Stamford  Tradesmen's 
Association. 

Mr.  A.  Swaby  Barnes,  chemist  and  druggist,  is  lecturing 
to-night  (Thursday)  to  the  Dudley  Institute  Literary  Society 
on  "  Something  about  Gases." 

Mr  Charles  F.  Baker,  senior  partner  of  Messrs.  Smith, 
Stanistreet  &  Co.,  Calcutta,  and  Mrs.  Baker  are  returning 
home  by  this  week's  P.  &  O.  boat. 

Brother  Habry  E.  Smith,  chemist  and  druggist, 
Dursley,  has  been  installed  Worshipful  Master  of  the 
St  John's  Lodge  of  Freemasons,  No.  761. 

Mr.  William  Wyatt,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  Lancaster, 
has  been  appointed  assistant-demonstrator  in  chemistry  at 
the  Municipal  Technical  School  and  Storey  Institute, 
Lancaster. 

Professor  H.  L.  Callendar,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  Quain  Pro- 
fessor of  Physics  in  University  College,  London,  has  been 
appointed  to  succeed  Professor  A.  W.  Riicker  as  professor  of 
physics  in  the  Royal  College  of  Science.  Professor  Callendar 
was  at  one  time  on  the  staff  of  McGill  College,  Montreal. 

Mr.  J.  A.  Rentoul,  K.C.,  has,  with  the  approval  of  the 
King,  been  appointed  a  Judge  of  the  City  of  London  Court. 
Mr  Rsntoul  is  a  co.  Donegal  man,  and  received  his  educa- 
tion at  Queen's  College,  Galway,  and  the  Universities  of 
Berlin  and  Brussels.  He  is  a  B.A.  and  LL.D.,  and  was 
called  to  the  English  Bar  in  1884.  He  has  been  Conservative 
member  for  East  Down  sicce  1890. 

Mr.  Duncan  R  Chisholm,  late  of  the  Australian  Drug 
Company,  leaves  London  next  week  on  his  return  with  Mrs. 
Chisholm  for  Sydney,  N.S.W.  During  his  sojourn  at  home 
Mr.  Chisholm  has  arranged  to  represent  in  Australia  and 
New  Zealand  Messrs.  John  Richardson  &  Co.  of  Leicester 
(Limited) ;  Messrs.  J.  F.  Macfarlan  &  Co.,  Edinburgh  ;  and 
Elliott  &  Co.,  dental  manufacturers,  Edinburgh. 


A  Quack  Surgeon,  whose  advertisements  are  a  scandal 
to  the  Press,  observes  in  a  paper  of  Monday  that  he  will  not 
even  open  a  letter  which  does  not  contain  a  one-pound  note. 
—Times,  October  26,  1801. 

Royal  Warrant.— Messrs.  Day,  Son  &  Hewi^,  22  Dorset 
Street,  W.,  who  held  Royal  warrants  of  appointment  since 
1863  as  purveyors  of  animal-medicines  to  the  late  Queen 
Victoria  and  to  the  King  as  the  Prince  of  Wales,  have 
received  a  similar  appointment  to  his  Majesty  the  King. 


Business  Changes. 


Messrs.  Lewis  &  Burrows  (Limited)  are  opening  a 
branch  at  555  Battcrsea  Paik  Road,  S.W. 

Mr.  W.  Bowden,  chemist,  Hill  Road,  Wimbledon,  has 
opened  a  branch  at  the  Broadway,  Wimbledon. 

Day's  Drug  Company  (Limited)  have  removed  from 
Liverpool  Street,  E.C.,  to  150  Bishopsgate  Street,  E  C. 

Mr.  W.  Ive  has  taken  over  the  business  of  Messrs.  Jones 
&  Bowles,  chemists,  at  221  High  Street,  Kensington,  W. 

Messrs.  Prichard  &  Constance,  chemists,  65  Chafing 
Cross,  are  removing  their  business  to  64  Haymarket,  S  W. 

Mr.  T.  R.  Prime,  chemist  and  druggist,  has  removed  from 
88  Westow  Hill  to  new  premises  at  Crystal  Palace  Parade, 
Norwood,  S.E. 

Mr.  J.  Wilson,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  Chiswick  Park 
W.,  has  purchased  Mr.  G.  Curtis's  business  at  441  High  Road 
Chiswick,  W. 

Mr.  E.  Vinson,  chemist  and  druggist,  of  Middle  and 
High  Street,  Maidstone,  has  lately  made  extensive  altera- 
tions and  improvements  in  his  business  premises. 

Messrs.  B.  C.  Pond  &  Son,  homoeopathic  chemists,  have 
closed  their  business  at  Clapham  Pavement,  S.W.,  and 
transferred  it  to  their  principal  establishment,  102  Brixton 
Hill,  S.W. 

Messrs.  Willows,  Francis,  Butler  &  Thompson, 
Aldersgate  Street,  K.C.,  are  taking  over  the  business 
of  Messrs.  Mackey,  Mackey  &  Co.,  Bermondsey,  as  from 
November  1. 

Mr.  W.  R.  Wilkins,  chemist  and  druggist,  having 
retired,  the  business  carried  on  by  him  for  many  years  at 
3  Denbigh  Street,  Llanrwst,  has  been  acquired  by  Mr.  A.  P. 
Roberts,  of  Eirianta,  Llanrwst. 

Mr.  Lewis  Henry,  chemist,  some  time  ago  transferred 
his  business  in  North  End,  Croyd  in,  to  his  branch  in  the 
Arcade,  High  Street,  Croydon.  He  has  now  closed  the 
Arcade  business,  and  returned  to  the  shop  in  North  End, 
Croydon. 


2>eatbs. 

Barclay.— Mr.  William  Orr  Barclay,  senior  partner  in  the 
firm  of  Barclay  &  Co.,  wholesale  druggists,  New  York,  died 
at  New  York  on  October  17.  Mr.  Barclay  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  this  business,  which  he  established  over  thirty 
years  ago  at  44  Stone  Street. 

Cuninngham. — A.t  76  Polwarth  Gardens,  Edinburgh,  on 
October  24,  Mr.  William  R.  Cunningham.  In  his  45th  year. 
Mr.  Cunningham  entered  the  service  of  Messrs.  T.  &  H.  Smith 
&  Co.  when  he  was  12  years  of  age  and  travelled  for  the  firm  as 
thtir  representative  in  Scotland  for  over  twenty  years.  His 
health  began  to  fail  about  four  or  five  years  ago,  and  he  then 
gave  up  travelling  and  was  sent  to  Glasgow,  where  he  opened 
a  branch  of  the  business.  Two  years  ago  he  returned  to 
Edinburgh  to  take  up  the  managership  of  the  wholesale 
department.  Mr.  Cunningham  was  much  esteemed  by  his 
employers  for  his  possession  of  all  those  qualities  which 
make  a  successful  business  man.  He  was  well  known 
throughout  Scotland,  and  greatly  liked  for  his  geniality  and 
sociability. 

McAdam. — Suddenly,  at  Craigadam,  Poll  ikshields,  on 
October  28,  Christina  Milne,  wife  of  Mr  Robsrt  McAdam, 
managing  partner,  Glasgow  Apothecaries  Company. 


The  Art  of  Dispensing  (new  edition) : — The  fresh 
material  added  consists  of  the  latest  ideas  and  methods  in 
dispensing,  and  the  preparation  of  medicines.  Tne  fullest 
information  is  given  respecting  the  dispensing  of  pills, 
powders,  mixtures,  emulsions,  Sec.,  and  also  the  preparation 
of  more  recently  introduced  articles,  such  as  tablets, 
pastilles,  pastes,  jujubes,  &c.  The  new  remedies,  especially 
those  synthetically  produced,  are  fully  described.  The  work 
is  in  every  way  an  excellent  exposition  of  the  art  of 
dispsnsing. — British  Medical  Journal. 


7.22 


i<EKE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  L9,Q1 


Winter  Session. 

Chemists'  Assistants'  Association. 

A.  MEETING  of  the  Association  was  held  on  October  24  at 
73  Newman  Street,  Oxford  Street,  W.  A  few  preliminary 
questions  having  been  disposed  of  over  coffee,  the  members 
adjourned  to  the  meeting-room  to  hear  a  paper  by  Mr.  W. 
Garsed  on 

Coca  and  its  Alkaloids. 

The  following  is  an  abstract  of  the  paper,  which  occupied 
over  two  hours  in  delivery.  The  subject  was  divided  into 
three  parts — (1)  a  short  historical  resume  of  the  discovery  of 
coca;  (2)  discovery  of  the  alk>l  .ids  of  coca;  and  (3)  an 
account  of  the  work  done  in  getting  at  the  constitution  of 
the  alkaloids.  Extracts  were  given  from  the  works  of 
travellers,  which  show  that  from  time  immemorial  natives  of 
Peru  and  Bolivia  have  used  coca  as  a  stimulant  and  for 
appeasing  hunger  and  thirst.  The  coca  leaves  are  always 
represented  as  having  been  chewed  mixed  with  lime  or  with 
the  ashes  of  other  plants.  Coming  down  to  modern  times, 
mention  was  made  of  the  account  published  by  Dr.  Weddell 
in  1853  of  the  uses  and  abuses  of  coca  and  of  the  rather 
extravagant  praise  bestowed  on  the  drug  by  Dr.  Mantegazza 
in  1860,  who,  as  the  result  of  experiments  on  himself,  declared 
that  he  would  prefer  ten  years  of  life  with  the  coca  plant 
to  a  million  years  without  it  Curiously  enough,  other 
•writers,  such  as  Dowdeswell,  found  that  the  drug  had  no  effect 
whatever  on  the  system,  this  prohably  being  explained  by 
the  fact  since  discovered  that  some  species  of  coca  contain 
no  alkaloid.  The  balance  of  evidence  pointed,  however,  to 
the  fact  that  the  drug  possesses  extraordinary  properties. 
Mr  Garse-1  then  read  an  account  of  the  cultivation  of  coca 
from  Mr.  Martindale's  monograph  on  coca,  and  passed  on  to 
the  discovery  of  the  alkaloids  of  coca.  Niemann,  assistant 
to  Wohler,  is  generally  credited  with  the  isolation  of  cocaine 
in  1850,  but  Gardeke  in  1855  isolated  au  active  principle 
which  at  first  ho  thought  to  be  caffeine,  but,  not  being  able 
to  reconcile -it  with  the  tests  for  caffeine,  he  named  it 
erythroxyline.  It  was  Niemann  who  first  noticed  the 
anaesthetic  action  of  cocaine.  Lossen,  in  1862,  investigated 
cocaine,  and  found  that  when  heated  with  hydrochloric  acid 
Lt  splits  into  benzoic  acid,  methyl  alcohol,  and  ecgonine.  In 
1887  Hesse  discovered  in  amorphous  cocaine  cocamine  and 
cocainine,  the  former  probably  being  the  alkaloid  which  Lie- 
bermann  called  truxillineorisotropyl-cocaine.  The  controversy 
between  Hesse  and  Liebermann  as  to  the  various  alkaloids 
Was  touched  "n  by  the  lecturer,  who  then  referred  to  the 
discovery  in  1888  by  Liebermann  and  Giesel  that  the  various 
alkaloids  of  coca  all  yielded  ecgonine  on  hydrolysis.  This 
led  to  a  process  of  making  cocaine  by  first  splitting  up  the 
bases  into  ecgonine  and  converting  the  ecgonine  into  cocaine 
by  treatment  with  benzoyl  chloride.  Some  of  Hesse's  work 
requires  confirmation;  but  Mr.  Garsed  said  the  following  four 
alkaloids  are  established  as  contained  in  coca — (1)  cinnamyl- 
coca'no,  (2)  tropacocaine,  (3)  cocainidine  (discovered  by 
Sshaefer  in  1899),  and  (4)  cocaine.  The  constitution  of 
the  alkaloids  was  then  showr,  the  work  of  Einhorn  in  this 
connection  being  given  in  some  detail.  Ecgonine  heated 
with  sulphuric  acid  yields  anhydro-ecgonine,  and  this  on 
further  decomposition  yields  tropidine,  homologous  to  that 
obtained  from  atropine.  The  fact  was  further  established 
that  cocaine  is  the  methyl  ester  of  benzoyl-ecgonine.  The 
transition  of  the  alkaloid  and  its  relationship  in  some 
respects  to  atropine  were  shown  by  charts  and  blackboard 
diagrams,  after  which  Mr.  Garsed  performed  the  Phar- 
macopoeia tests— Maclagan's  and  the  permanganate  tests,  on 
pure  cocaine  and  on  a  sample  of  the  mixed  alkaloids.  There 
was  an  excellent  collection  of  coca  alkaloids  on  the  table,  lent 
for  the  occasion  by  Messrs.  Howards  &  Sons,  of  Stratford. 

The  President  (Mr.  E.  W.  Peck)  and  Mr.  Ooupland 
■voiced  the  thoughts  of  the  other  members  as  to  the  value  of 
the  paper  th»y  had  heard  read,  and  Mr.  Garsed  replied  to 
one  or  two  points  raised. 


Cambridge  Pharmaceutical  Association. 

On  October  25  the  annual  general  meeting  of  the  members 
of  the  Association  was  held  at  the  Bull  Hotel,  Cambridge, 


Mr.  A.  Sidney  Campkin,  J  P.,  presiding.  There  were  also 
present  Messrs.  E  Savil'e  Peck  (Vice-President),  C.  S, 
Addison,  W.  L.  White,  P.  Pain,  H.  J.  Parsons,  G.  McAvoy, 
J.  Evans,  H.  F.  Cook  (Hon.  Treasurer),  and  B.  Sidney 
Campkin  (Hon.  Secretary). 

The  Hon.  Treasurer's  report,  showing  receipts  amounting 
to  5/.  2s.  6d.,  and  a  deficit  of  3s.  Id.,  was  adopted.  The 
reserve  fund  amounts  to  4Z. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  read  his  report,  which  referred  to 
the  early-closing  movement  as  the  crowning  feature  of  a 
successful  session.    The  report  was  adopted. 

Election  of  Officers. 

The  Chairman,  prior  to  the  election  of  officers,  said  the 
past  year  had  been  by  no  means  an  uneventful  period  in  the 
history  of  the  Association.  They  had  not  bad  as  many 
meetings,  and  in  some  instances  the  meetings  had  not  been 
as  numerously  attended  as  they  might  have  been ;  but,  at  all 
events,  they  had  shown  that  the  Association  existed,  and 
to  the  pharmaceutical  public  that  there  was  a  considerable 
amount  of  vitality  in  the  Association.  The  discussion  on  the 
draft  Pharmacy  Bill  was  a  very  useful  one,  and  the  sharply 
dividing  line  between  them — he  thought  the  majority  was 
only  one  in  favour  of  the  Bill — showed  that  they  agreed  to 
differ  and  differed  to  agree.  A  pleasant  function  of  the 
year  was  the  presentation  to  the  retiring  President.  The 
dinner  was  a  success  from  every  point  of  view,  and  he  was 
sure  the  retiring  President  was  greatly  gratified  by  the 
reception  he  had,  and  by  the  expression  of  esteem  that  came 
to  him,  not  only  from  the  meeting,  but  from  various  friends 
in  other  parts  of  the  country.  The  conference  of  Associa- 
tions or  District  Federations,  held  at  the  Bull  Hotel,  was 
very  successful ;  the  discussion  was  very  profitable  and  very 
useful.  In  conclusion,  the  Chairman  said  he  wished  to  see 
the  name  of  every  chemist  in  business,  and  all  those  who 
were  associated  with  the  craft,  on  the  books  of  the  Associa- 
tion. If  the  Association  only  existed  as  a  corresponding 
Society  it  would  be  of  great  benefit  to  them.  ("  Hear,  hear," 
and  applause.)  Officers  were  then  appointed  as  under : — ■ 
President,  Mr.  A.  Sidney  Campkin  ;  Vice-Presidents,  Messrs. 
A.  Deck  and  E.  Saville  Peck;  Hon.  Treasurer,  Mr.  H.  F. 
Cook  ;  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  B.  Sidney  Campkin  ;  committee, 
Messrs.  White,  McAvoy,  Addison,  Parson-,  Pain,  and  Evans. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  intimated  that  Professor  Sims 
Woodhead  has  promised  to  give  a  lecture  before  the  Associa- 
tion, and  it  was  agreed  that  the  proceeds  should  be  in  aid  of 
the  Benevolent  Fund  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society.  It 
was  also  stated  that  a  lecture  would  probably  be  given  by 
Dr.  Reynolds  Green,  and  that  a  musical  evening  would  take 
place  during  December. 

Midland  Pharmaceutical  Association. 

The  winter  session  is  announced  to  open  on  November  12, 
when  Mr.  Barclay  (the  President)  and  Mrs.  Barclay  will  give 
a  reception  to  members  and  friends. 

Liverpool  Pharmaceutical  Students'  Society. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  Society  was  held  at  Sandon 
Terrace  on  October  24  The  President  (Mr.  C.  W.  Cooke) 
occupied  the  chair.  In  opening  the  proceedings  the 
President  explained  that  the  lack  of  interest  displayed  by 
the  later  generation  of  students  in  the  meetings  of  the 
Society  rendered  it  necessary  for  some  action  to  be  taken. 
Mr.  A.  S.  Buck  proposed  that  in  view  of  the  small  attend- 
ance at  the  meetings  the  Society  be  dissolved.  This 
was  seconded  by  Mr.  Harold  Wyatt,  jun.,  and  on  being 
put  to  the  members  present  was  carried  unanimously.  It; 
was  subsequently  proposed  by  Mr.  Wyatt,  jun.,  and  seconded 
by  Mr.  T.  S.  Wokes,  that  the  Council  proceed  with  the 
liquidation  of  the  Society  and  the  disposal  of  its  assets. 
After  some  discussion,  in  which  all  took  part,  this  was 
agreed  to.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  the 
President  for  his  services  to  the  Society,  and  the  meeting 
then  closed. 

Nottingham  Chemists'  Association, 

The  session  opened  on  Wednesday  night,  October  30,  at  the 
Albert  Hotel,  Derby  Road,  when  a  very  successful  smoking 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


723, 


concert  was  held.  The  attendance  exceeded  that  of  any 
previous  year,  some  fifty  members  beirjg  present,  and  an  en- 
joyable and  encouraging  time  was  spent.  Mr.  Richard 
Fitzhugb,  J  P.,  the  President,  was  chairman  Mr.  E.  W. 
Whitchurch  opened  with  a  pianoforte  solo,  and,  following 
some  observations  by  the  President,  in  which  he  fore- 
shadowed the  work  of  the  coming  session,  songs  were 
agreeably  rendered  by  Messrs.  A.  C.  Vallance,  Wollatt, 
Biinson,  and  Thompson,  while  the  humorous  element  was 
capably  sustained  by  Messrs.  Gregory  and  Daft.  Mr.  R.  H. 
Beverley  contributed  a  couple  of  recitations  which  were 
heartily  received,  and  Mr.  E.  W.  Whitchurch  accompanied 
with  taste  and  discrimination. 


Leeds  Chemists'  Association. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  Association  was  held  at  the  Church 
Institute  on  Tuesday,  October  29,  at  7  30  p.m.,  the  President 
(Mr.  E.  Yewdall)  in  the  chair.  The  Hon.  Secretary  (Mr. 
Pollett)  presented 

The  Report, 

which  referred  to  the  advantages  which  the  Association,  with 
its  library  and  museum,  offered  to  students  anxious  to  acquire 
the  knowledge  requisite  for  passing  their  examination. 
Reference  was  also  made  to  the  death  of  Mr.  P.  Jefferson, 
who  was  for  maoy  years  connected  with  the  Association,  and 
assisted  to  maintain  its  utility  by  rendering  aid  as  President 
and  as  an  active  member  of  the  Council.  The  financial 
statement  showed  a  balance  in  hand  of  11.  19s.  Id. 

The  President  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report  and 
balance-sheet,  which  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Geo.  Ward, 
and  carried  unanimously.  On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Geo. 
Ward,  seconded  by  M^.  Pilkington  Searjeant,  votes  of 
thanks  were  accorded  to  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  for  the 
Pharmaceutical  Journal  and  to  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  Pharmaceutical  Conference  for  the  '  Year-book  of  Phar- 
macy," presented  to  the  library.  Thanks  were  accorded  the 
retiring  officers,  and  the  following  were  elected  for  the 
ensuing  year :— President,  Mr.  F.  W.  Branson,  F.I.C  ,  F.C.S. ; 
Vice-President,  Mr.  G.  W.  Worfolk,  Ilkley;  Hon.  Secretary 
Mr.  F.  C.  Long  ;  Hon.  Treasurer,  Mr.  W.  D.  Pollett ;  Com- 
mittee, Messrs.  F.  Framley,  G.  Jackson,  W.  Johnson,  T.  J. 
Preston,  G.  Ward,  F.T.O.,  and  E.  Yewdall;  Hon.  Auditor, 
Mr.  I.  H.  Beacock,  The  members  then  adjourned  to  Messrs. 
Powolny's  Rooms,  Bend  Street,  where  a  highly  successful  and 
well-attended 

Social  Gathering 
was  held.  Mr.  E.  Yewdall  occupied  the  chair,  and  after 
an  excellent  high  tea  he  proposed  the  usual  loyal  toast.  Mr. 
Branson  proposed  the  Pharmaceutical  Society,  and  was 
followed  by  Mr.  Long.  Mr.  Geo.  Ward  responded.  Mr. 
Pollett  proposed  "  The  Visitors,"  to  which  Mr.  Broadhead, 
of  Batley,  responded  in  a  humorous  speech.  Mr.  Rhodes, 
of  Mirfield,  also  spoke  briefly.  Music  was  rendered  at 
intervals  by  Messrs.  Mundell,  Taylor,  Horton,  and  Long, 
and  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Hammond  a  vote  of  thanks  was 
accorded  to  these  gentlemen,  to  which  Mr.  Taylor  re- 
sponded. Mr.  E.  0.  Brown,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks 
to  the  Chairman,  said  that  as  a  trade  chemists  should  be 
more  united.  Mr.  Geo  Ward  seconded  the  vote  of  thanks, 
which  Mr.  Yewdall  briefly  acknowledged,  and  this  termi- 
nated a  most  enjoyable  evening. 


Exeter  Chemists'  Association. 

A  meeting  was  held  at  the  Royal  Albert  Memorial,  Exeter, 
on  Wednesday  evening,  October  30,  the  President  (Mr.  E. 
Lemmon)  in  the  chair.  The  arrangements  for  Sunday  duty 
were  completed.  It  was  decided  to  have  a  schedule  printed 
for  twelve  months,  stating  at  which  establishment  urgent 
.cases  could  be  attended  to  on  a  particular  Sunday  The 
President,  Mr.  Milton,  and  Mr.  Lake,  were  appointed  a 
Committee  to  carry  the  resolutions  into  effect.  Various 
questions  affecting  the  local  trade  were  discussed  in  Council. 


Cardiff  Pharmaceutical  Association. 

.BY  way  of  inaugurating  the  winter  session  of  the  above 
Association,  the  members  held  a  very  successful  conversazione 


at  the  Park  Hotel,  Cardiff,  on  Wednesday  evening,  October  30. 
Some  fifty  members  and  friends  attended.  The  fitvt  hour 
was  devoted  to  the  inspection  of  a  unique  collection  of 
articles  illustrative  of  eating  and  drinking  in  times  past, 
but  "  without,"  as  facetiously  expressed  on  the  programme, 
"drink  or  victuals."  For  this  exhibition  the  Association 
were  indebted  to  Mr.  R.  Drane,  who,  our  representative 
learned,  bad  been  engaged  for  forty  years  in  getting  together 
the  articles  which  were  of  the  value  of  between  600^.  or 
700Z.  To  each  member  was  presented  a  pamphlet  descriptive 
of  the  articles.  Mr.  Drane  also  distributed  amongst  them 
copies  of  a  "  Medieval  Monastic  Menu,  after  the  corruption 
of  Mariners,"  and  another  menu  for  a  "Fish  day."  In 
introducing  the  programme  of  the  concert  which  followed, 
Mr.  A.  Hagon  (the  President)  briefly  alluded  to  the  municipal 
elections,  and  urged  members  to  interview  candidates  with 
the  object  of  getting  the  claims  of  pharmacists  more 
prominently  recognised  by  the  local  authorities.  The  pro- 
gramme for  the  concert,  which  was  prepared  by  Mr.  A  J. 
Bellamy,  was  then  proceeded  with.  It  included  items  by 
Mr.  Furnivall,  Mr.  F.  Luxton,  Miss  Anne  Bell,  Mr.  Fred  J. 
Dobbs,  Madame  Annie  Davies,  Mr.  W.  Shapland  Dobbs, 
Mr.  J.  Williams  (Barry),  Miss  E.  G.  Jones,  Miss  Metcalfe, 
and  Madame  Annie  Davies.  Refreshments  were  provided  in 
the  interval  of  the  concert,  the  arrangements  for  which  were 
entrusted  to  Mr.  W.  J.  Sanders,  the  Hon.  Secietary. 


Public  and  Poor  =  law  Dispensers'  Association. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  session  was  held  at  St.  Bride's 
Institute,  Ludgate  Circus,  EC,  on  October  30,  the  President 
(Mr.  F.  Noad  Clark)  in  the  chair.  About  thirty  members 
were  present,  and  the  meeting  first  passed  a  resolu  ion  of 
sympathy  with  Mr.  Spencer,  one  of  their  most  active 
members,  who  is  suffering  from  a  chronic  malady,  and  was 
too  ill  to  be  present. 

The  President  intimated  that  the  Council  had  appointed 
the  following  committee  as  a  deputation  to  wait  upon  the 
Pharmaceutical  Council  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  quali- 
fication of  dispensers  in  public  institutions: — Messrs.  Miller, 
Welford,  Duff,  and  the  President. 

Mr.  Glyn-Jones  then  delivered  the  inaugural  address 
which  dealt  with  the 

Laws  relating  to  Dispensers. 

He  began  by  quoting  the  Act  of  Henry  VIII.,  giving  permis- 
sion to  persons  other  than  surgeons  to  administer  certain  out- 
ward medicines,  and  which  was  recently  used  as  a  defence  by 
a  herbalist  who  was  prosecuted  by  the  Society  of  Apothecaries 
for  acting  as  an  apothecary.  This  Act  showed  that  the 
Parliament  of  that  day  had  little  respect  for  doctors,  as  the 
following  quotation  shows  : — 

Sithence  the  making  o£  which  said  Act,  the  Company  and 
Fellowship  of  Surgeons  of  London,  minding  only  their  own 
Lucres,  and  nothing  the  Profit  or  Ease  of  the  Diseased  or  Patient, 
have  sued,  troubled,  and  vexed  divers  honest  Persons,  as  well 
Men  as  Women,  whom  God  hath  endued  with  the  Knowledge  of 
the  Nature,  Kind,  and  Operation  of  certain  Herbs,  Roots,  and 
Waters,  and  the  using  and  ministring  of  them  to  such  as  been 
pained  with  customable  Diseases,  as  Women's  Breasts  being  sore, 
a  Pin  and  the  Web  in  the  E\e,  Uncomes  of  Hands,  Buruings, 
Scaldings,  sore  Mouths,  the  Stone,  Strangury,  Saucelim,  and 
Morphew,  and  such  other  like  Diseases  ;  and  yet  the  said  Persons 
have  not  taken  anything  for  their  Pains  or  Cunning,  hut  have 
ministred  the  same  to  poor  People  only  for  Neighbourhood  and 
God'ss  Sake,  and  of  Pity  and  Charity  :  And  it  is  now  well  known 
that  the  Surgeons  admitted  will  do  no  Cure  to  any  Person  but 
where  they  shall  know  to  be  rewarded  with  a  greater  Sum 
or  Reward  than  the  Cure  extendeth  unto ;  for  in  ease 
they  would  minister  their  Cunning  unto  sore  People  unrewarded, 
there  should  not  so  many  rot  and  perish  to  Death  for  Lack  or 
Help  of  Surgery  as  daily  do  ;  but  the  greatest  Part  of  Surgeons- 
admitted  been  much  more  to  be  blamed  than  those  Persons  that 
they  troubled,  for  although  the  most  Part  of  the  Persons  of  the 
said  Craft  of  Surgeons  have  small  Cunning  yet  they  will  take 
great  Sums  of  Money,  and  do  little  therefore,  and  by  Reason 
thereof  they  do  oftentimes  impair  and  hurt  their  Patients,  rather 
than  do  them  good.  In  consideration  whereof,  and  for  the  Ease, 
Comfort,  Succour,  Help,  Relief,  and  Health  of  the  King's  poor 
Subjects,  Inhabitants  of  this  Realm,  now  pained  or  diseased,  or 
that  heieafter  shall  be  pained  or  diseased  :  Be  it  ordained, 
established,  and  enacted,  by  Authority  of  this  present  Parlia- 
ment, That  at  all  Time  from  henceforth  it  shall  be  awful 
to  every  Person  being  the  King's  subject,  having  Knowledge 


724 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


and  Experience  of  the  Nature  oE  Herbs,  Roots,  and 
"Waters,  or  of  the  Operation  of  the  same,  by  Speculation  or 
Practice,  within  any  Part  of  the  Realm  of  England,  or 
within  any  other  the  King's  Dominions,  to  practice,  use,  and 
minister  in  and  to  any  outward  Sore,  Uncome  Wound,  Apostema- 
tions,  outward  Swelling  or  Disease,  any  Herb  or  Barbs,  Ointments, 
Baths,  Pultess,  and  Emplaisters,  according  to  their  Cunning, 
Experience,  and  Knowledge  in  any  of  the  Diseases,  Sores,  and 
Maladies  beforesaid,  and  all  other  like  to  the  same,  or  Drinks  for 
the  Stone,  Strangury,  or  Agues,  without  Sait,  Vexation,  Trouble, 
Penalty,  or  Loss  of  their  Goods ;  the  aforesaid  Statute  in  the 
foresaid  Third  Year  of  the  King's  most  gracious  Reign,  or  any 
other  Act,  Ordinance,  or  Statutes  to  the  contrary  heretofore  made 
in  anywise,  notwithstanding. 

ComiDg  to  the  Apothecaries  Act  of  1815  he  showed  that  an 
apothecary  at  that  time  was  a  legalised  dispenser,  and  also 
a  qualified  medical  practitioner,  but  engaged  particularly 
in  dispensing.  That  definition  still,  he  supposed,  held  good,  but 
What  is  meant  by  an  apothecary  ?  isno  wadays  a  moot  question. 
The  clause  dealing  with  assistant  s  showed  that  the  training  an 
assistant  had  at  that  time  to  undergo  included  "  a  five-years' 
apprenticeship  to  an  apothecary."  At  that  time,  therefore, 
he  received  a  training  in  the  dispensing  and  compounding 
of  medicines  under  a  capable  master,  who  had  himself 
learnt  the  art  of  dispensing.  But  they  found  a  very  different 
state  of  affairs  with  the  apothecary's  assistant  of  to-day, 
who  had  merely  to  have  six  months'  tuition  under  another 
apothecary's  assistant  (who  prooably  had  only  six  months' 
tuition  himself  or  herself)  before  being  eligible  for  qualifi- 
cation. Under  these  circumstances  a  chemist  and  druggist 
or  a  pharmaceutical  chemist  is  not  qualified  to  train  an 
apothecary's  assistant,  and  it  is  as  much  an  offence  under 
the  Act  for  a  Major  or  a  Minor  man  to  act  as  a  dispenser  to 
an  L.S. A.  as  for  a  coachman.  After  further  contrasting  the 
qualifications  necessary  for  the  pharmaceutical  and  the 
apothecary's  qualification,  much  to  the  detriment  of 
the  latter,  Mr.  Glyn-Jones  urged  that  there  was  no  difficulty 
in  making  out  a  strong  case  for  the  repeal  of  the  Apothe- 
caries Act — at  least  as  far  as  it  applied  to  the  assistants' 
section.  He  thought  the  Act  should  at  least  be  seriously 
amended,  and  the  same  rale  should  apply  to  dispensers  in 
public  institutions  as  applied  to  medical  men  in  Section  25 
of  the  Medical  Acts,  which  stated  that  "  no  one  could  hold  a 
publicappointment  unless  qualified  underthis  Act."  Mr.  Glyn- 
Jones  then  reviewed  the  clauses  of  the  Medical  Acts  bearing 
on  prescribing  and  dispensing,  incidentally  pointing  out 
that  whatever  position  the  prescribing  chemist  held  under 
these  Acts  it  was  clear  that  it  was  best  not  to  give  credit,  as 
he  would  not  be  able  to  recover  for  medicines  supplied.  He 
then  proceeded  to  point  out  that  although  by  the  Pharmacy 
Acts  the  sale  and  dispensing  of  poisons  only  is  restricted  to 
the  qualified  chemist,  his  whole  training  under  the  charter  has 
been  to  fit  him  for  the  compounding  and  dispensing  of  medi- 
cines. If  it  were  only  a  question  of  selling  he  was  quite 
sure  the  present  examination  requirements  w^re  much  in 
advance  of  what  was  needed,  and  instead  of  pushing  the 
education  of  the  pharmacist  to  its  extreme  limit  he  thought 
they  ought  instead  to  retrieve  some  of  the  lost  ground  and 
secure  to  chemists  and  druggists  the  right  to  dispense 
medicines  and  physicians'  prescriptions  This  was  a  more 
important  question  than  the  company  one.  He  held  that  it 
was  only  reasonable  to  ask  that  (in  the  case  of  medical 
men)  wherever  medicine  was  to  be  dispensed  it  should  be 
done  either  by  a  qualified  man,  or  by  the  medical  man  him- 
self. And  he  had  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  proper 
qualification  for  a  dispenser  was  that  of  the  Pharmaceutical 
Society,  and  not  that  of  the  Apothecaries'  Society. 
He  thought  a  discussion  on  this  s abject  was  bound 
to  come  sooner  or  later  between  the  two  Societies,  ani  th.3 
sooner  the  better,  and  when  the  question  was  properly 
threshed  out  he  imagined  theG.M.O.  would  have  no  difficulty 
in  settling  upon  the  chemist  and  druggist  as  the  most 
suitable  man  for  dispenser.  He  deprecated  the  attempt  of 
the  Apothecaries'  Society  to  endeavour  to  usurp  what 
are  the  privilege  and  prerogative  of  the  Pharmaceutical 
Society.  He  had  heard  it  suggested  that  the  Pharmaceutical 
Society  should  approach  the  Apothecaries'  Society  and 
endeavour  to  bring  about  some  understanding  on  the 
question  of  dispenserships  ;  but  he  would  strongly  object  to 
the  Pharmaceutical  Society  being  a  party  to  an  endeavour  to 
improve  the  status  of  a  qualification  such  as  that  held  by  an 
assistant  of  the  Apothscaries'  Society.    In  his  opinion  the 


latter  body  should  not  have  the  training  of  dispensers  in  its 
hands  at  all. 

Discussion. 

Mr.  Duff  having  made  a  few  appreciative  observations 
Mr.  Goodall  remarked  that  the  question  which  troubled 
him  was,  What  is  a  dispenser  ?  He  then  read  some  corre- 
spondence which  had  appeared  in  the  public  Press  between 
himself  and  one  of  the  Guardians  of  the  Shoreditch  Union 
regarding  arise  in  his  (Mr.  Goodall's)  salary.  The  Guardian 
objected  to  the  proposed  rise  because  a  dispenser,  he  said, 
"  was  an  unskilled  man,  who  merely  filled  bottles — like  a 
publican."  Mr.  Welford  remarked  that  as  the  Pharmacy 
Act  was  distinctly  stated  to  have  for  one  of  its  objects  the 
safety  of  the  public,  he  could  not  understand  why  selling 
was  an  offence,  while  compounding  and  dispensing  were 
not  offences.  He  spoke  strongly  of  the  meagre  remunera- 
tion offered  to  dispensers  in  the  R.A.M.C.  and  in  some  public 
institutions.  Mr.  Dunstan  thought  it  high  time  the 
Pharmaceutical  Council  came  down  from  its  high  state  of 
non  interference  and  used  a  little  energy  in  combating  the 
evils  spoken  of.  Mr.  Donnan  and  Mr.  Smith  also  joined 
in  the  debate  ;  and  the  President  having  summed  up,  Mr. 
Glyn-Jones  replied.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  said 
it  would  perhaps  come  to  pass  that  the  futility  of  passing 
an  expensive  and  arduous  examination  would  be  recognised, 
and  the  drug-store  would  flourish  in  place  of  the  pharmacy. 
With  regard  to  the  delay  in  dealing  with  the  question  of  public 
dispensers  and  other  burning  grievances  of  which  the  Phar- 
maceutical Council  was  guilty,  he  thought  the  blame  lay 
entirely  in  the  ridiculous  system  which  prevailed  at  Blooms- 
bury  Square,  whereby  it  was  compulsory  for  either  the 
President  or  the  Vice-President  of  the  Society  to  sit  as  chair- 
man of  every  committee. 

The  question  of  amalgamation  with  the  Chemists' 
Managers'  and  Assistants'  Union  was  left  over  for  discussion 
at  a  future  date. 


Commercial  IRotea. 


Magnesia  Salts  in  France. 

The  importation  of  carbonate  of  magnesia  into  France  last  year 
amounted  to  161,700  kilos.,  against  198.531  kilos,  in  1899  and 
129,913  kilos,  in  1898;  and  that  of  oxide  of  magnesia  to 
12,400  kilos,  in  1900,  against  28,568  kilos,  in  1899,  and 
12,372  kilos,  in  1898.  The  greater  part  of  the  carbonate  of  mag- 
nesia was  supplied  by  Great  Britain,  169,476  kilos,  having  been 
obtained  from  this  country  in  1899,  and  124,000  kilos  in  1900. 
Oxide  of  magnesia  is  chiefly  obtained  from  Germany. 

Californian  Olive  Oil. 

The  Californian  olive  growers  are  preparing  to  gather  their 
crop,  which  is  expected  to  be  the  largest  yet  known,  as  the  trees 
are  loaded  with  fruit,  and  much  additional  acreage  has  now  come 
into  bearing.  According  to  the  New  York  Commercial  it  is 
expected  that  the  crop  will  approximate  80,000  tons  of  fruit.  The 
ruling  price  paid  to  growers  last  year  was  $30  per  ton.  This  year 
the  prices  range  from  $30  to  $40.  Experts  say  there  is  ample  land 
in  California  suitable  for  olive- growing  to  yield  as  much  olive  oil 
as  Italy  and  Spain  put  together. 

Siam  Sticklac  and  Benzoin. 

A  British  report  on  the  trade  of  the  consular  district  of 
Chiengmai  (which  comprises  the  whole  of  Northern  Siam)  states 
that  the  former  brisk  trade  with  Bangkok  in  gum  benzoin, 
sticklac,  and  other  forest  products,  many  of  which  were  brought 
on  the  shoulders  of  the  Lao  of  Luang  Prabang,  in  exchange  for 
the  cotton  goods  in  the  Chiengmai  market,  has  now  practically 
ceased  to  exist.  A  Chinese  trader  of  Chiengmai,  some  five  years 
ago,  bought  up  1,000  piculs  of  sticklac  at  the  rate  of  52£r. 
(51.  10s.  i  per  picul  (133J  lbs.).  The  sticklac  still  lies  in  his  godown, 
and  the  home  prices  remain  so  low  that  there  seems  little  chance 
of  disposing  of  his  stock  for  some  time  to  come.  Benzoin,  the 
Ccnsul  remarks,  is  a  product  from  the  high  hills  to  the  north-east 
of  Luaig  Prabang,  and  now  finds  its  way  down  to  the  Tonquin 
markets  by  way  of  the  Red  River,  or  to  a  smaller  extent  to 
Bangkok  by  way  of  Paklai  on  the  Mekong  River  and  Utaradit. 
The  "  Ton  Khamjan,"  or  gum-benjamin  tree,  is  also  found  grow- 
ing along  the  slopes  of  the  hills  around  Chiengmai,  but  whether 
because  in  this  latitude  it  is  of  puny  growth  and  deficient  in  resin 
or  because  the  art  of  extracting  the  resin  is  locally  unknown,  it 
has  no  commercial  value  in  the  eyes  of  local  traders. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


725 


Messrs.  George  Church  &  Co.,  119  Fenchurch  Street, 
Londoa,  are  making  a  special  offer  at  present  of  Seychelles 
vanilla,  new  crop,  at  12s.  9d  par  lb. 

Mr.  Joh ann  Maria  Farina,  Gageniibar  dam  Jiilbhs- 
iPlatz,  Cologne  (for  whom  Messrs.  J.  &  R  MjCracken,  33 
•Queen  Street,  E.C.,are  sole  agents  for  the  British  Empire),  has 
•been  appointed  by  Royal  Warrant  parveyor  of  E  iu-de- 
Cologne  to  his  Majesty  the  King. 

Elastic-gum  Goods. — Messrs.  Mason  Brothers  &  Chap- 
man, 107  Whitecross  Street,  London,  have  issued  a  detailed 
.price-list  of  the  elastic-gum  surgical  instruments  they 
manufacture.  The  articles  listed  include  urethral  catheters 
and  bougies,  stomach-tubes,  rectum-bougies,  specula,  pipes 
for  enema  and  vaginal  appliances,  and  oathing-trusses. 

Electrical  Novelties. — We  have  received  from  Messrs. 
8P.  Darton  &  Co.,  142  St.  John  Street,  E.G.,  a  price-list  of 
scientific  novelties  for  Christmas  trade.  It  contains  many 
forms  of  electric  motors,  lamps,  torches,  and  batteries,  and  a 
few  styles  in  model  steam-engines.  A  selection  of  these 
.goods  should  divert  a  lot  of  Caristmas-present  money  to  the 
pharmacy  that  stocks  them. 

Smith's  Advertising-agency,  100  Fleet  Street,  E.G., 
send  us  a  copy  of  a  booklet  dealing  particularly  with  pro- 
vincial advertising.  The  census-returns  are  made  to  show 
that  the  United  Kingdom  outside  London  has  some  thirty- 
seven  million  customers  waiting  for  advertisers.  How  to 
reach  the  customers  is  what  the  booklet  tells,  in  twenty  or 
thirty  brightly- written  pages. 

Poultry-spice. — Spratt's  Patent  (Limited),  2%  and  25 
ITenchurc'i  Ssreet,  EC,  are  putting  on  the  market  a  new 
poultry-spice.  It  is  intended  for  mixing  with  the  soft  food, 
■with  the  object  of  assisting  the  laying-power  of  hens.  The 
■spice  retails  at  Id,  3d.,  and  6d  the  picket,  and  is  a  light- 
brown,  aromatic  powder,  with  sutfijieat  pungency  to  mike 
it  acceptable  in  cold  and  damp  weather. 

"  Tabloid"  Quinine  Compounds. — For  the  winter  trade 
Messrs.  Birrougns  Wellcome  &  Co.  have  ready  two  new  com- 
pressions, which  are  designed  to  abort  chills.  Oae  contains 
1  gr.  of  quinine  bisulphate  and  i  gr.  of  camphor  in  each  tiny 
disc,  and  the  other  quinine  sulphate  \  gr.,  green  extract  of 
belladonna  |  gr.,  and  camphor  \  gr.  For  the  purpose  for 
which  they  are  designed  these  compounds  are  therapeutically 
excellent,  and  in  the  "taoloid"  form  they  are  particularly 
-elegant,  the  accuracy  of  dosage  being  guaranteed. 

Essential  Oils. — Messrs.  Roure-Bertrand  Fils,  of  Grasse, 
hive  issued  their  Scientific  and  Industrial  Bulletin  for 
October.  Included  in  this  are  papers  on  researches  on  the 
mechanism  of  esterification  in  plants  by  Messrs.  Charabot 
and  Hebert,  and  notes  on  the  origin  and  production  of  some 
foreigQ  essential  oils  including  photographs  of  citronella 
fields  in  Ceylon  and  Penang,  lemongrass  at  Penang,  vetivert 
at  Buitenzorg,  besides  other  such  matter.  Part  III  is  a 
review  of  recent  publications  on  perfumes  and  essential  oils, 
this  being  purely  scientific. 

The  Globe  "  Gerfooti  "  Embrocation-oil,  which  has 
been  introduced  by  the  Globe  Manufacturing  Company 
(Limited),  Dunbar  Street,  Norwood,  S.E.,  is  a  clear, 
brownish-coloured,  homogeneous  oil,  of  aromatic  odour,  and 
it  is  recommended  for  the  treatment  of  muscular  pains  and 
chest-complaints.  It  retails  at  2s.  9d.,  and  the  makers 
intend  to  maintain  its  face-value.  The  article  is  to  be  well 
•advertised  this  winter,  the  company  inform  us,  and  as  the 
oil  is  in  some  respects  unique,  it  will  be  interesting  to 
watch  its  progress  in  public  favour. 

The  "Vibrona"  Art  Series,  published  by  Messrs. 
Fletcher,  Fletcher  &  Co.  (Limited),  Hollo  way,  N.,  this  week 
receives  two  additions.  The  new  pictures  are  reproductions 
of  the  portrait  of  Richard  Cobden  by  Lewis  Dickinson,  and 
James  Northcote's  portrait  of  Dr.  Edward  Jenner.  The 
portraits  are  both  in  the  National  Portrait  Gallery.  The 
picture  of  Jenner  comes  at  an  opportune  moment,  when  in 
London,  at  any  rate,  so  many  people  are  worshipping  at  the 
ffennerian  shrine.  Jenner's  portrait  would  on  this  account 
be  a  special  attraction  in  the  pharmacy. 


Mr.  Johann  Maria  Farina,  of  No.  4  Julichs  Platz, 
Cologne,  has  been  appointed  by  Royal  Warrant  purveyor  of 
Eau  de  Cologne  to  his  Majesty  the  King.  --^Z, 
~  "  The  Domestic  Year-book  for  1902,"  produced  by  Mr. 
John  Davis,  24  Queen  Victoria  Street,  E.O.,  is,  if  we  may  judge 
from  the  specimen  received,  quite  up  to  previous  years  in 
attractiveness  and  usefulness.  The  Year-book  contains 
32  pages  of  illustrated  letterpress  on  pink  paper  enclosed  in 
a  grey  cover.  Two  and  a  half  pages  are  given  on  the 
cover  and  in  the  text  are  provided  for  chemists'  own  adver- 
tisements (but  more  may  be  arranged  for),  and  each  copy 
contains  a  coupon  ticket  for  accident  insurance.  Only  one 
person  in  each  town  is  supplied  with  the  Year-book. 

In  "  Beefex,"  as  they  call  their  new  beef-essence,  Messrs. 
Wright,  Layman  &  Umney  (Limited)  have  f-truck  a  line  of 
business  in  a  novel  manner.  "  Beefex  "  is  a  transparent  and 
pourable  extract,  which  makes  beef-tea  of  rich  flavour,  a 
teaspoonful  sufficing  to  make  for  a  healthy  person  an 
agreeable  "  stayer,"  and  for  invalids  it  has  the  advantage  of 
closely  resembling  in  taste  that  of  fresh  beef-tea.  It  is  put 
up  in  1-oz.,  2-oz.,  4-oz  ,  8-oz  ,  and  16-oz.  bottles,  so  distinctive 
in  shape  that  chemists  who  wish  to  sell  their  own  beef- 
preparations  can  handle  this  to  advantage  and  good  profit. 
An  effective  showcard  is  supplied  by  the  makers. 

St.  Jacobs  Oil.— It  will  be  observed  from  an  announce- 
ment made  in  this  week's  issue  that  the  prices  of  St.  Jacobs 
oil  and  Vogeler's  curative  compound  have  been  revised,  the 
2s.  6d.  size  costing  22s.  6d.  per  dozen,  and  the  Is.  11§<2.  size 
10s.  9d.  per  dozen,  subject  to  discount  of  5  per  cent,  on 
51.  lots  and  7|  per  cent  on  100Z.  lots,  carriage  paid.  Mr. 
William  E.  Geddes,  managing-director  of  St.  Jacobs  Oil 
(Limited),  left  for  Baltimore  by  the  Majestio  on  October  23. 
Mr.  Thomas  H  Vernon,  solicitor  to  the  company,  sailed  by 
the  Umbria  on  October  26,  to  co-operate  with  Mr.  Geddes  in 
the  completion  of  the  arrangements  for  taking  over  the 
property  of  the  Charles  A.  Vogeler  Company.  Mr.  Geddes 
will  spend  two  or  three  months  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  making  the  company's  business  straight  there.  We 
understand  that  the  allotment  of  shares  in  the  company  was 
made  last  week. 

Aerated-water  Apparatus. — Messrs.  Hajward-Tyler 
&  Co.  had  an  exhibition  of  aerated- water  machinery  at 
90  and  92  Whitecross  Street,  E.C.,  last  week.  It  was  a 
good  show,  and  there  were  several  novelties,  among  them 
Dunbar's  patent  filling-apparatus  for  ball-stoppered  bottles, 
of  which  the  firm  are  sole  makers.  This  is  especially 
adapted  for  chemists  and  others  who  manufacture  on  a 
small  scale.  The  apparatus  is  a  simple  and  ingenious  con- 
trivance, and  can  be  worked  single-handed.  It  is  provided 
with  a  flexible  tube,  which  is  connected  to  one  of  the  out- 
lets of  the  carbonating-cylinders.  It  has  a  nozzle  to  go 
into  the  bottle.  Holding  the  apparatus  with  the  left  hand, 
the  valve  is  pressed  with  the  right,  forcing  the  liquid  down 
into  the  bottle,  which  action  immediately  secures  the  ball- 
stopper  in  position.  This  is  done  while  the  bottles  are  in 
the  ordinary  delivery  boxes.  The  apparatus  is  claimed  to 
fill  (at  100  lbs.  pressure)  120  dozen  10-oz.  bottles  per  hour. 
Ferguson's  patent  syphon-filler  was  also  shown,  with  which 
two  syphons  are  filled  alternately  by  one  man. 

Lecithine  prepared  from  eggs  is  one  of  the  latest 
remedies  for  diseases  of  the  nutritive  and  assimilative 
functions.  In  tuberculous  patients  it  occasions  increase  of 
appetite  and  general  improvement,  and  has  b^en  of  distinct 
benefit  in  cases  of  neurasthenia.  Les  Etablissements 
Poulenc  Fibres,  92  Rue  Vitille  du  Temple,  Paris,  are  supply- 
ing through  their  agent,  Mr.  Joseph  Flach,  16  Water  Lane, 
E.C.,  a  specially  pure  lecithine  prepared  from  eggs,  and 
they  give  in  our  advertising-pages  particulars  o£  the  some- 
what stringent  tests  for  purity  the  article  stands.  Lecithine, 
we  gather  from  a  treatise  by  Dr.  E.  Coulombe,  has  been 
subjected  to  a  long  series  of  physiological  and  therapeutical 
experiments,  and  is  likely  to  be  ordered  by  London  ^  hysicians. 
It  is  advisable  for  pharmacists  to  be  prepared  to  dispense 
lecithine,  which  may  be  ordered  in  pil)s,  cachets,  supposi- 
tories, or  hypodermic  solution.  The  latter  is  prepared  by 
dissolving  lecithine  in  olive-oil,  but  with  the  other  forms  of 
administering  it  no  difficulty  in  dispensing  is  likely  to  be 
encountered.  We  may  mention  that  the  internal  dose  for 
adults  is  from  \\  gr.  to  7|  gr. 


726 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


Zbc  Ulse  of  formic  Hloeb^oe. 

Ey  George  Roe. 


I^ORMALIN,  or  solution  of  formic  aldehyde,  has  taken  a  firm 
hold  on  the  medical  profession,  and  is  a  useful  addition 
to  the  list  of  drugs  for  the  prevention  and  cure  of  diseases. 
Few  antiseptics  have  so  soon  become  popular,  yet  how  often 
have  physicians  been  disgusted  with  it  on  account  of  the 
intense  pain  it  has  caused  patients  through  the  lotions  or 
otherwise  having  been  made  too  strong,  a  fact  due  to  an 
imperfect  knowledge  of  this  powerful  solution.  It  may 
therefore  be  interesting  to  notice  how  it  has  been  used,  for 
what  diseares,  and  in  what  strength. 

The  40-per-cent.  solution  of  formic  aldehyde  in  water  best 
defines  the  fluid  under  consideration,  because  there  seems 
some  difficulty  in  understanding  what  is  intended  by  the 
term  40-per-cert.  formalin.  Water  will  not  hold  more  of  the 
gas,  it  is  the  highest  point  of  saturation  ;  there  is  therefore 
com-h'erable  difference  in  the  strength  of  a  lotion,  say,  of 
2  per-cent.  formalin  and  that  of  2-per-cent.  formic  aldehyde  ; 
the  latter  would  be  more  than  double  the  strength  of  the 
former.  Many  mistakes  have  been  made  through  not  knowing 
the  difference.  One  part  of  formalin  added  to  39  of  water 
makes  a  1-per-cent.  solution  of  formic  aldehyde  ;  from  this 
factor  any  desired  strength  can  be  calculated. 

The  following  strengths,  calculated  as  of  40-per-cent. 
formalin  and  not  as  formic  aldehyde,  have  been  found  useful 
for  the  diseases  stated  below: — 

(Of  40-per-cent.  formalin) 

Diphtheria,  as  a  spray    A  to  1  per  cent. 

Diphtheria,  as  a  paint        ...       ...    1  in  5C0 

Ophthalmic  practice...       ...       ...    1  in  2,000 

Ringworm  (small  patches)  (applied 

for  a  few  minutes  every  second  day)    40  per  cent. 
Tissue    hardening    (according  to 

thickness)  1  to  10  per  cent. 

Sterilising  instruments     ...       ...    10  per  cent. 

Sterilising  hands     ...    A  per  cent. 

Gargles         ...       ...       ...       ...     \  per  cent. 

Vaginal  douches      ...       ...       ...    1  in  500 

Pruritus  vulva?,  spray  with         ...    4  per  cent. 

Formic  aldehyde  is  capable  of  forming  compounds.  A 
good  example  is  urotropin,  made  by  the  action  of  formic 
aldehyde  on  ammonia,  and,  on  account  of  the  former  being 
liberated  when  it  reaches  the  urinary  tract,  it  has  been  highly 
recommended  for  diseases  connected  with  the  bladder. 

Formalin  has  many  uses  as  an  antifermentive,  anti- 
putrefactive, bactericide,  and  general  disinfectant;  1  in 
50.000  will  keep  milk  a  considerable  lime.  It  is  stated  1  in 
50,000  kills  anthrax  bacilli,  and  1  in  2,C00  prevents  the 
development  of  typhus  bacilli,  as  well  as  Staphylococcus 
pyogenes  aureus. 

As  a  disinfectant  it  is  well  known.  A  convenient  strength 
for  general  use  is  one  tablespoonful  to  a  quart  of  water ;  in 
this  way  it  can  be  used  wherever  there  is  an  unpleasant 
odour,  or  for  washing  ai tides  of  furniture,  utensils,  and 
infected  linen. 


IRecent  male. 


Clowee. — The  will  of  Mr.  John  Clower,  pharmaceutical 
chemist,  22  Bridge  Street,  Northampton,  who  died  on  April  16, 
has  been  proved  at  the  Northampton  District  Proba'e  Registry 
Office  by  his  widow,  Grace  Howard  Clower,  sole  executrix.  The 
gross  value  of  the  estate  is  715?.  10s.  6ri,  and  the  net  personalty 
469Z.  17s.  4c?. 

Furmston. — The  will  of  Mr.  Samuel  Chambers  Furmstom 
chemist  and  druggist,  of  Chantry  Housp,  Shanldin  (formerly  of 
High  Wycombe i,  who  died  on  August  19,  has  been  proved  by 
Anne  Furmston,  widow,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Chambers  Furmston, 
of  Blackwell  Vicarage,  Alfreton,  clerk,  son  of  deceased.  The  net 
personalty  of  the  estate  is  2,436?.  18s.  ICd.,  and  the  gross  value 
3,476?.  4  s.  Id.   


In  the  High  Court  at  Ramsey,  I.O.M.,  last  week,  before 
Deemster  Moore,  Mary  Jane  Swales  applied  for  probate  of  the 
will  of  Thomas  Swales,  her  husband,  who  formerly  carried  on 
business  as  a  chemist  and  druggist  in  Ramsey,  and  who  died  in 
that  town  on  September  14  last.  The  personal  estate  was  valued 
at  under  400?.  Eventually  the  petition  was  adjourned,  in  order 
that  the  petitioner  might  be  sworn  in  England. 


"j.  j." 

John  J.,  of  Evans  Sons, 
Sells  to  chemists  goods  in  tons 
From  the  suite 
(So  complete) 

Of  buildings  in  Han-over  Street. 

John  J.,  of  Liverpool, 

Slaking  thirst  with  liquid  cool. 

Lime-juice  vat 

Filled  with  what 

J.  J.  brings  from  Montserrat. 

J.  J..  of  Lanca-s7wre, 

Sells  you  all  that  you  require  — 

Aloe,  hop, 

Lollipop, 

Drug,  or  sundry  ;  fit  a  shop. 

John  J.,  with  father,  sons 

(Brothers  also),  business  runs. 

Known  its  worth 

From  Moray  Firth 

E'en  to  ends  of  all  the  earth. 


IRew  Books* 

Any  book  named  in  this  list  can  be  supplied  post-free  to  any 
part  of  the  world  on  receipt  of  the  published  price  by  the 
Publisher  of  "The  Chemist  and  Druggist,"  42  Cannon  Street, 
London,  E.C. 


Clarke,  J.  H.  Dictionary  of  Practical  Materia  Medical 
Vol.  I.,  A  to  H.  10  x  6.  Pp.  951.  3?.  12s.  6d.  half-morocco ; 
3?.  3s.  buckram  1  for  the  two  volumes).  (Homoeopathic  Publishing 
Company,  Warwick  Lane,  E.C.) 

First  Aid  to  tlie  Injured  :  Emergency  Boole.  8vo,  2s.  6r?.  net 
(St.  John's  Ambulance.) 

Gibson,  J.  A.  Nordraeh  Treatment  for  Consumption  in  this 
Country.    7x4§.    Pp.180.    3s.  6c?.  net.  (Low.) 

Gorham,  F.  P.  A  Laboratory  Course  in  Bacteriology.  For 
the  use  of  students.  With  97  Plus.  8}  x  b\.  Pp.  192.  5s.  net. 
(Saunders.) 

Heath,  C.  A  Manual  of  Minor  Surgery  and  Bandaging 
12th  ed.    6Jx4^.    Pp.442.    6s.  6c?.  (Churchill.) 

Warren,  H.  Banks  and  their  Customers  :  a  Practical  Guide 
for  all  who  l;eep  Banking  Accounts,  from  the  Customers'  Point 
of  View.  5th  ed.  7  x  4J.  Pp  77.  Is.  (Effingham  Wilson, 
Royal  Exchange.) 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


727 


©t)0en>atton0  ant)  IReflections, 

By  Xrayser. 

Heroic  Language 

after  a  pharmaceutical  dinner  is  pretty 
sure  to  win  a  responsive  cheer,  while  the  mm  who  cautions 
the  youDg  bloods  against  the  risks  of  their  fearlessness  is 
sniffed  at  as  an  old  fogey  who  only  sees  the  lions  in  the 
path.  The  gentleman  at  Liverpool,  for  instance,  who 
declared  that  no  Pharmacy  Bill  was  worthy  of  a  moment's 
consideration  if  it  did  not  shut  up  all  companies'  shops,  no 
doubt  made  some  people  happy  by  that  vigorous  denuncia- 
tion. A  more  subtle,  but  not  much  more  hopeless,  campaign 
is  becoming  a  popular  cry  just  now.  Last  week  Mr.  Squire 
at  Sheffield  and  Mr.  Lord  Giff  ord  at  Dewsbury  urged  action 
against  some  company  for  the  use  of  one  of  the  titles 
protected  by  the  Pharmacy  Act.  This  seems  reasonable  ;  it 
is  a  legitimate  grievance  that  unqualified  people  should  be 
able  to  assume  a  title  indicating  qualification ;  but  the 
gentlemen  who  urge  such  action  should  realise  that  it  means 
fighting  over  again  the  very  same  question  which  the  House 
of  Lords  decided  in  1880.  No,  say  some  of  my  friends  ;  the 
offence  alleged  then  was  keeping  open  shop  for  the  sale  of 
poisons.  True,  but  in  that  case  the  highest  courts  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  was  not  illegal  for  a  company  to  do 
this,  because  the  15th  Section  of  the  Act  did  not  apply  to  a 
company  at  all.  It  is  that  same  section  which  applies  to 
titles,  so  that  the  argument  corresponds  exactly  in  both 
cases. 

Mr.  Patrick  Kelly,  M.P.C.I., 

holds  that  if  the  Pharmacy  Acts 
had  used  the  word  "persons  "  as  well  as  "  person,"  pharma- 
ceutical trading  by  companies  would  have  been  preven'ed. 
Mr.  Kelly  has  evidently  not  studied  the  reported  cases  as 
closely  as  he  should  have  done.  There  is  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment (13  &  14  Vict.  c.  21)  passed  for  the  purpose  of  abbre- 
viating the  language  of  statutes,  which  provides  that  in  all 
cases  "  words  importing  the  masculine  gender  shall  be  taken 
to  include  females,  the  singular  to  include  the  plural,  and 
•the  plural  the  singular,  unless  the  contrary  is  expressly 
provided."  This  Interpretation  Act  applies  to  all  statutes, 
to  those  governing  civil,  as  well  as  to  those  concerned 
with  criminal  actions.  There  is  another  law  (7  &  8  Geo.  III. 
c.  28)  which  provides  that  whenever  "  a  person"  is  alluded 
to  in  regard  to  any  offence  ''punishable  upon  indictment  or 
summary  conviction  .  .  .  the  statute  shall  be  understood  to 
include  .  .  .  bodies  corporate  as  well  as  individuals  "  Con- 
sequently, while  throughout  the  Pharmacy  Act  the  term 
"person  "  covers  persons,  it  only  applies  (in  Great  Britain) 
to  bodies  corporate  in  the  17oh  Section,  which  creates  an 
•offence  punishable  by  summary  conviction.  The  offence 
indicated  in  the  15th  Section  of  the  1868  Act  is  one  punish- 
able by  a  penalty  recoverable  by  civil  process.  If  the  Irish 
Act  can  be  brought  within  the  construction  specified,  which 
is  a  question  for  Irish  lawyers,  so  much  the  better  for  Irish 
pharmacy. 

Boycotting  Unprofitable  Proprietaries 

as  advocated  by  two 
correspondents  in  last  week's  C  §  D.  is  a  scheme  which  has 
always  tempted  m?.  There  is  no  possibility  of  direct  loss 
through  adopting  it,  because  the  articles  campaigned  against 
are  already  profitless.  But  a  chemist  cannot  afford,  or  fears 
he  cannot  afford,  the  risk  of  turning  customers  from  his 
doors.  Mr.  Morgan  James's  idea  of  organising  the  whole 
trade,  and  boycotting  all  "  vauriens,"  is  practically  hopeless 
because  of  its  va9tness.  Bat  something  much  minuter  would 
perhaps  accomplish  the  purpose  about  as  well.    Suppose  the 


chemists  of  Llanelly,  for  instance,  would  agree  to  boycott 
only  one  unprofitable  article,  while  the  chemists  of  another 
town  devoted  their  self-denial  to  some  other  article,  and  so 
on,  no  great  risk  would  be  run  by  any  individual,  and 
impenitent  proprietors  would  soon  realise  their  danger. 
"  Sold  by  all  respectable  grocers  "  would  not  be  an  attrac- 
tive tailpiece  to  their  advertisements  in  those  localities. 
The  P.A.T.A.  or  the  Federation  might  organise  this  boycott, 
and  when  they  got  it  at  work  in  a  hundred  places,  they 
could  begin  to  talk  to  the  beneficent  discoverers  of  precious 
compounds,  who,  out  of  regard  to  the  suffering  inhabitants 
of  those  hundred  localities,  would  at  least  reflect. 

The  Value  of  Botany 

to  pharmacists,  and  the  desirability  of 
retaining  it  in  the  Qualifying  examination,  are  matters  fairly 
open  to  discussion  ;  and  I  am  grateful  for  having  had  my 
attention  directed  to  the  appended  quotation  from  the 
recently-published  "  Life  of  Sir  James  Paget  "  on  this  subject. 
In  his  youth  Paget  was  an  enthusiastic  field  botanist.  In  a 
later  part  of  his  life  he  wrote : — 

As  I  look  back,  I  am  amused  in  thinking  that  of  the  mere 
knowledge  gained  in  the  study  [of  botany]— the  knowledge  of  the 
appearance  and  names  and  botanical  arrangement  of  plants — 
none  had  in  my  after  life  any  measure  of  what  is  called  practical 
utility.  The  knowledge  was  useless :  the  discipline  of  acquiring 
it  was  beyond  all  price. 

Exactly,  but  there  are  fifty  other  studies  of  which  as  much 
may  be  said.  Indeed,  a  page  or  two  further  on  in  the  same 
book  Sir  James  Paget  himself  tells  how  he  acquired  some  little 
skill  in  sketching,  and  he  says  of  this  accomplishment  :— 

I  may  repeat  nearly  what  I  said  of  botany.  Its  immediate 
utility  was  too  little,  its  indirect  utility  too  great  to  be  told. 

Why  not  therefore  add  drawing  to  the  syllabus  ? 

A  Testimonial  to  Botany 

as  a  part  of  the  pharmacist's 
curriculum  turns  up  however  quite  unexpectedly,  and  it  is 
only  fair  to  quote  it.  In  last  week's  Law  Times  the  plea 
of  a  herbalist,  who  was  recently  prosecuted  under  the 
Apothecaries  Act,  is  discussed.  He  claimed  that  under  an 
Act  of  Henry  VIII.  which  prohibited  persons  from  practising 
medicine  in  the  city  of  London  or  within  a  radius  of  seven 
miles,  there  was  a  saving  clause  in  favour  of  persons 
"  having  knowledge  and  experience  of  the  nature  of  herbes, 
rotes,  and  water,  and  of  the  operacion  of  the  same  by 
speculation  or  practyse."  That  Act  is  still  on  the  siatute- 
book  ;  but  the  Lam  Times  thinks  it  may  be  assumed  to 
have  bsen  practically  repealed  by  the  Apothecaries  Act.  The 
L.  T.  writer  argues  that  in  the  cise  of  the  Apothecaries 
Society  v.  Nottingham  the  counter-prescribing  of  a  registered 
chemist  and  druggist  was  held  to  be  illegal ;  and  surely,  he 
says,  a  chemist's  knowledge  of  herbs,  being  guaranteed  by  the 
Pharmacy  Act,  must  have  been  at  least  equal  to  that  of  the 
herbalist,  which  i3  not  guarautaed  in  any  way.  I  should 
have  thought  the  proper  view  would  have  been  that  the 
exempting  section  was  applicable  to  both  ;  a  fortiori  to  the 
chemist. 

Mr.  Ince, 

I  notice,  in  his  article  on  dispensing  pills,  marks  the 
u  in  pilulre,  short  (u).  So  does  my  Latin  dictionary.  Ought 
we  therefore  to  pronounce  it  like  the  u  in  tub,  and  does  any- 
one do  so  ? 

The  Son  of  Sirach 

declared  that  "The  Lord  hath  created 
medicines  out  of  the  earth,  and  he  that  is  wise  will  not  abhor 
them  "  ;  the  Hackney  Coroner,  at  an  inquest  reported  last 
week,  said  "  the  use  of  old-fashioned  remedies  was  unwise 
and  often  dangerous  "  ;  Dr.  Luff  recently  told  us  of  the  havoc 
the  new  medicines  are  causing  in  neurotic  societv  ;  police- 
men are  frequently  prosecuting  the  Peculiar  People  for 
employing  no  remedies  at  all.  What  is  the  poor  confused 
wayfaring  man  to  do  when  he  has  a  pain  somewhere,  in  the 
face  of  such  varyiDg  authorities  1 


72ft 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


DISINFECTANTS. 


Cte  "Santos"  Co.,  Cim. 

are  the  exclusive  Manufacturers  of  the 
well-known  Non-poisonous 

"  SANITAS  "  PREPARATIONS, 

and  their  other  Manufactures  include 

"SOLDIS."  "OKOL,""CREOCIDE,"  "  FORMITAS,"  "OCHLOR," 

"KINCZETT'S  PATENT  SULPHUR  FUMIGATING  CANDLES," 

"8ULPHUCAT0RS,"  "FORMIC  SULPHUCATORS,"  "FORMIC 

AIR    PURIFIERS,"    "FORMIC    FUMICATORS,"  KINCZETT'S 

PATENT  DRAIN  TESTERS,    SHEEP  DIPS,   WEED  KILLER, 

PATENT  PRESERVED  PEROXIDE  OF  HYDROGEN,  INHALERS, 

DISINFECTORS,  FUMICATORS,  BRONCHITIS  KETTLES,  and 

CARBOLIC  FLUIDS,  POWDERS  and  SOAPS. 

Full  Catalogue  and  "  Boa  to  Disinfect "  Book  will  be  tent  fret  on 
application  to— 

THE  "SMITAS"  CO.,  Ltd..  Betlmal  Green,  LONDON,  E. 


"f»  CARRIAGE  PAID  to  Railway  Stations  within  200  miles  of  London 
(or  allowance  made  tor  distances  beyond)  on  a  total  weight  of  113  lbi.i 
and  upwards  of  above  articles.  Smaller  parcels  delivered  free  on  rail, 
London  at  above  prices.  | 


Seventeenth  Edition.  Published  in  1899.  Price  12s.Qd, 

Squire's  Companion 

TO   THE   BRITISH  PHARMACOPEIA 


"'Squire's  Companion'  Is  virtually  a  new  book  every  time  It 
Is  re  published,  so  important  and  numerous  are  the  changes  In 
the  text  of  each  successive  edition."— Pharmaceutical  Journal. 
February  25th,  1899. 

"It  Is  the  cheapest  pharmaceutical  text  book  In  the  English 
language,  as  well  as  one  which  physicians  and  pharmacists 
could  least  do  without."— The  Chemist  and  liruggisl,  February  25th. 


II  I  Obtainable  through  any  of  the  Wholesale  Souses, 
'  '  or  direct  from  the  Publishers, 

J.  &  A.  CHURCHILL,  7  Great  Marlborough  Street,  LONDON,  W. 


GRIMBLE'S 
PURE 
VINEGAR. 

Brewery  s  LONDON,  N.  W. 


GEO.  NELSON,  DALE  &  CO.,  Ld, 

14  DOWGATE  HILL,  LONDON,  E.C. 


PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS. 

There  are  many  worrying  difficulties  to  be  overcome  in  connection 
with  the  Registration  of  Trade  Marks  and  the  grant  of  Letters  Patent, 
which  members  of  the  Retail  and  Wholesale  Drug  Trade  can  avoid  by 
consulting  an  efficient  agent,  who  would  undertake  all  the  trouble  for 
an  inclusive  fee  and  obtain  protection  in  the  United  Kingdom  and 
abroad.   Advice  in  the  first  instance  free. 


REGINALD  W.  BARKER. 

56  Ludgate  Hill,  London. 


Ebttortal  Comments* 


Medical  and  Pharmaceutical, 

When  Dr.  A.  P.  Lufi  addressed  the  students  of  the  School 
of  Pharmacy  at  the  beginning  of  October  he  mentioned  that* 
he  intended  in  another  place  to  point  out  the  evil  of  pre- 
scribing rea"3y-made  physic.  That  occasion  was  at  the  St. 
Mary's  Hospital  Medical  Society  on  October  16.  The 
decadence  in  the  art  of  prescribing  is  due  in  a  great  measure, 
according  to  Dr.  Luff,  to  the  altogether  inadequate  attention 
given  to  the  teaching  of  the  subject,  and  the  s canty  test 
applied  by  many  examining  bodies  as  to  the  possession  of  a 
knowledge  of  rational  prescribing  on  the  part  of  candidates- 
presenting  themselves  for  the  Final  examinations. 
Hospital  physicians  are  in  the  habit  of  ordering  medicines- 
by  title  from  the  hospital  Pharmacopoeias — a  practice  which' 
has  nothing  like  the  educational  value  to  the  student  that  a 
prescription  dictated  in  fall  would  have.    Students  trained' 


FARRINGDON    ROAD.    LONDON,  E.C. 


Ho.  1  Finest  Pure 
CRUSHED  LINSEED 

22/  cwt. 

Finest  Pure 
STARCH  POWDER 

19/.f. 
25/  cwt. 

21 /cwt. 

18/ eft 

No.  2  Pore 
CRUSHED  LINSEED 

21  /  cwt. 

No.  1  Finest  Light  Pure 
PRECIPITATED  CHALK 

Best  Cleaned 
LINSEED  (TEA. 

22/  cwt. 

No.  2  Pure 
PRECIPITATED  CHALK 

No.  1  Finest  Pure 
FULLER'S  EARTH 
(Light  Colour) 

15/ewV 

Finest  Levigated 
"WHITE  EARTH" 
(ToUet  purposes). 

Finest 
TART  ACID 

Lowst-Cur. 
Prices 

Finest  Pure 
TOILET  OATMEAL,  SPECIAL 

32/ .ft. 

ir- 

Finest  Pure 
LIQUORICE  JUICE 

10? 

Finest 
ARROWROOT 

November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


729 


in  this  way  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the  manufacturers  of  ready- 
made  medicines  and  co  npressed  drags.  There  is  at  present, 
Dr.  Luff  considers,  an  altogether  unnecessary  amount  of 
time  given  to  systematic  courses  of  lectures,  students  having 
to  leave  practical  diagnosis  in  the  out-patient  department  to 
attend  lectures  in  order  to  be  signed  up  for  their  examina- 
tions. Dr.  Luff  told  the  students  at  the  Squire  that  a 
curriculum  would  reduce  the  high  percentage  of  rejections 
at  the  Minor  examination,  but  it  appears  that  the  exact 
opposite  is  needed  in  the  medical  profession.  We  quote 
passages  from  each  of  the  doctor's  utterances  : — 


For  Pharmacy  Students. 

I  regret  that  I  am  riot  able 
to  place  on  record  the  adoption 
of  a  compulsory  curriculum  of 
study  for  the  Minor  examina- 
tion ;  such  a  curriculum  is,  in 
my  opinion,  sorely  needed,  and 
I  believe  it  would  go  far  to 
reduce  the  very  high  percentage 
of  rejections  in  that  examina- 
tion. 


For  Medical  Students. 

I  earnestly  desire  to  see  the 
abolition  of  certificates  of 
attendance  on  most  lectures 
and  to  witness  the  licensing 
bodies  taking  the  bold  and 
honourable  stand  of  ascertain- 
ing for  themselves  whether 
students  possess  the  requisite 
knowledge,  and  ceasing  to 
require  the  guarantee  that 
candidates  have  sat  through  a 
given  number  of  what  possibly 
may  be  buh  dreary  and  unin- 
teresting discourses.  In  medi- 
cal training  and  learning  I  am 
a  staunch  advocate  of  the 
principles  of  free  trade. 

As  Dr.  Luff  is  a  chemist  and  druggist  as  well  as  a  medical 
practitioner,  and  has  also  himself  been  a  teacher  of  pharma  iy 
students,  we  shall  doubtless  hear  him  quoted  as  an  advocate 
for  a  compulsory  curriculum  for  pharmaceutical  students, 
which  is  our  reason  for  so  forcibly  showing  what  he  thinks 
of  the  present  medical  curriculum.  It  would  be  interesting 
to  know  how  the  doctor  reconciles  his  statements.  To 
counteract  the  decline  in  the  art  of  prescribing  and  to  dis- 
courage self-drugging,  he  advised  the  St.  Mary's  Hospital 
students  to  order  drugs  by  their  scientific  names  and  in 
cachets  or  powders,  rather  than  in  compressed  form.  The 
practice  of  self-drugging,  which  is  an  increasing  one  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Luff,  is  brought  abmt  by  medical  men  indis- 
criminately ordering  ready-made  phy.-ic.  May  it  not  be  that 
the  long-suffering  public  are  becoming  better  educated  and 
are  discarding  nauseous  herbal  concoctions  used  from  time 
immemorial  for  the  more  elegant  preparations  of  modern 
pharmacy?  Tb.2  practice  of  self-drugging  is  older  than  the 
medical  profession  itself,  and  is  bound  to  increase  with  the 
diffusion  of  general  knowledge  ;  but  medical  speakers  appear 
not  to  give  the  slightesi  heed  to  that  aspect  of  the  matter. 


"  Hamburg  Ipecac." 

The  paragraph  under  this  heading  which  we  printed  a 
fortnight  since  appears  to  brave  caused  some  commotion  and 
even  indignation  in  Hamburg  drug-produce  circles.  It  may 
be  remembered  that  we  protested  against  analytical  reports 
which  return  the  whole  of  the  alkaloids  of  Cartagena 
ipecacuanha  as  emetine.  The  firm  who  issued  the  price-list 
from  which  we  then  quoted  a  paragraph  ia  which  a  root 
containing  2'95  per  cent,  of  pure  emetine  was  mentioned 
have  since  sent  us  the  analyst's  certificate  showing  that  he 
had  obtained  3'29  per  cent,  of  crude  emetine  and  2-95  per 
cent,  of  pure  emetine.  This  analysis  was  by  a  sworn 
chemist,  and  it  shows  that  the  firm  were  simply  repeating 
his  statement.  They  have  since  sent  us  the  following 
explanation,  which  we  willingly  print  :— 

It  is  the  custom  to  state  percentage  of  emetine  in  ipecacuanha- 
root  according  to  the  method  of  Professor  Keller,  a  first-rate 
authority  regarding  the  specification  of  the  contents  of  pharma- 
ceutical drugs.    It  is  he  who  has  worked  through  many  years,  by 


exact  and  accurate  research,  the  specification  of  the  value  of 
drugs.  The  method  in  question  depends  upon  extracting  the 
alkaloids  of  the  ipecac-root  by  suitable  means  (chloroform  and 
ether),  which  are  weighed  as  crude  emetine,  after  evaporating  the 
solvent.  Of  course,  in  this  emetine  there  is  some  stuff  containing 
resin  and  other  kinds  of  extractive  from  the  ipecacuanha-root. 
In  order  to  get  the  pure  emetine  this  crude  product  is  dissolved 
in  alcohol,  and  then  assayed  by  titration  with  decinormal  hydro- 
chloric acid,  using  alcoholic  solution  of  hoematoxylin  as  indicator. 
From  the  titration  the  percentage  of  pure  emetine  is  calculated. 

These  methods  of  analysis  have  been  published  in  several 
journals  ;  for  instance,  in  the  Chemiker  Zeitung,  Kepertory  1893 ; 
also  in  the  same  paper  1894,  where  the  results  of  the  analyses  are 
also  indicated,  which  vary  from  2108  per  cent,  to  3  00  per  cent., 
according  to  the  different  samples.  These  statements  have  also 
been  published  in  the  Schweizer  Wochenschrift  fur  Pharmacie, 
1893,  and  up  to  this  date  these  methods  for  specifying  have  been 
acknowledged  as  exemplary.  Thus  in  the  last  published  reports 
in  the  Pharmaceutische  Zeitung  of  1901,  page  748,  in  the 
business  report  of  the  wholesale  druggists  Messrs.  Csesar  &  Loretz, 
it  is  stated  : — 

"  During  this  year's  examinations  the  yields  of  alkaloids  have 
been  found  to  vary  in  Bio  ipecacuanha,  analysed  by  Keller's 
method,  between  2-396  and  3-150  per  cent.,  and  by  the  method  of 
the  German  Pharmacopoeia  IV.  between  2'494  and  3'26  per  cent. ; 
in  Cartagena,  also,  by  Keller's  method,  between  1'43  and  3  30  per 
cent.,  and  by  the  German  Pharmacopoeia  IV.  between  1'67  and 
3  25  per  cent  " 

These  examinations  of  ipecacuanha-root,  Bio  and  Cartagena, 
were  made  from  lots  of  better  quality,  and  an  accurate  average 
sample  has  been  drawn  for  every  analysis.  If  these  last  publi- 
cations respecting  the  specification  of  the  contents  of  emetine 
showed  such  results,  not  agreeing  with  those  in  The  Chemist 
and  Druggist,  it  would  be  of  no  importance,  but  nevertheless 
it  is  of  some  interest,  in  corroboration  of  the  above  statement, 
that  the  very  famous  expert  in  pharmacognosy,  Professor  Albert 
Wiegand,  professor  of  botanies  and  pharmacognosy  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Marburg,  already  wrote  in  1879  that  the  contents  of 
emetine  in  ipecacuanha-root  differ  between  1  and  3  75  per  cent. 
These  explanations,  we  trust,  disprove  thoroughly  the  report  of 
The  Chemist  and  Druggist,  and  the  author  of  the  article  in 
question  ought  only  to  occupy  himself  with  the  literature  on  this 
subject  up  to  the  present  time,  in  order  to  agree  with  our  ex- 
planations. 

Another  Hamburg  correspondent  also  writes  a  long  letter 
from  which  we  extract  the  following  paragraphs,  as  givir  g 
the  gist  of  the  German  position  : — 

It  has  been  the  custom  in  this  trade — and  not  only  in  Germany, 
but  also  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  United  States— to  return 
the  whole  of  the  alkaloids  contained  in  ipecacuanha-root  as 
"  emetine."  If  perhaps  one  of  your  English  chemists  is  of 
different  opinion,  you  can  scarcely  cite  him  as  a  reference  for  the 
whole  trade;  and  if  you  are  not  sure  upon  the  subject  yourself, 
you  should  not  publish  false  statements.  If  you  will  please  look 
up  the  respective  literature,  you  will  no  doubt  find  my  report 
confirmed  ;  and,  besides,  I  beg  to  refer  you  to  the  U.S.  American 
Customs  Tariff  Bill,  in  which  it  is  precisely  stated  that  ipecac- 
uanha-root must  contain  such-and  such  percentage  of  total 
alkaloids — not  "emetine"  only. 

Under  these  circumstances,  I  would  ask  you  to  publish  in  your 
next  issue  a  verification  of  your  own  "  erroneous  statements,"  so 
that  your  readers  may  know  what  to  think  of  the  authentical 
reports  you  are  publishing  about  the  honesty  of  Hamburg  drug- 
merchants. 

This  gets  us  to  the  real  point  at  issue  between  London  and 
Hamburg  dealers — viz.,  that  the  former  have  to  sell 
ipecacuanha  in  the  light  of  more  recent  knowledge  than 
appears  to  have  been  shed  upon  Hamburg,  and  which  shows 
that  the  alkaloidal  constituents  oE  the  two  ipecacuanhas 
differ  to  such  an  extent  that  the  British  Pharmacopoeia, 
1898,  recognised  only  the  Rio  kind,  rejecting  the  Cartagena, 
and  the  German  Pharmacopoeia,  1900,  followed  the  British 
example.  This  fact  appears  not  to -have  penetrated  as  far  as 
Hamburg  until  this  little  controversy  arose,  and  it  may  be 
of  some  advantage  to  repeat  the  facts  which  guided  the 
German  Pharmacopoeia  authorities  as  well  as  the  British  in 
their  decision.  Seven  years  ago  (1894)  Dr.  B.  H.  Paul  and 
Mr.  A.  J.  Cownley  began  the  investigation  of  the  chemical 
constituents  of  the  two  ipecacuanhas,  and  in  preliminary 
papers  they  proved  the  presence  of  two  alkaloids — emetine 
and  cephaeline — a  third  also  being  indicated,  which  has 
since  been  named  psychotrine.  Until  this  discovery  emetine 


730 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


was  regarded  as  the  sole  alkaloidal  constituent  of  ipecacu- 
anha, aDd  the  authorities  referred  to  above  were  of  that 
opinion,  but  Messrs.  Paul  and  Cownley's  observations  are  con- 
clusive, and  have  been  corroborated  by  others.  The  importance 
of  their  discovery  was  enhanced  in  1895,  when  Dr.  Robert  B. 
Wild,  now  Professor  of  Therapeutics  at  Owens  College, 
Manchester,  published  results  of  his  physiological  and 
clinical  work  with  the  two  alkaloids,  which  proved  that 
as  a  diaphoretic  emetine  is  much  more  powerful  than 
cephaeline,  while  the  latter  has  twice  the  emetic-power  of 
emetine.  Now  the  two  roots  contain  the  alkaloids  in  quite 
different  proportions — as  Messrs.  Paul  and  Cownley  showed 
in  1895,  viz. : — 


Emetine 

Cephae- 
line 

Psycho- 
trine 

Per  Cent. 

Per  Cent. 

Per  Cent. 

Rio  (root)   

1-45 

0-52 

0  04 

Rio  (stem)   

1-18 

0'59 

0  03 

Cartagena  ...   

0-89 

125 

0-06 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  reports  of  analyses  giving  per- 
centage of  total  alkaloids  are  perfectly  valueless,  and  when 
the  origin  of  the  ipecacuanha  is  not  stated,  as  was  the  case 
in  the  paragraph  which  we  quoted  on  October  19,  a  total 
alkaloid-figure  is  misleading.  We  protest  against  that,  and 
submit  that  while  "  ipecacuanha "  of  the  British  and 
German  Pharmacopoeias  is  Brazilian  or  Rio  ipecacuanha, 
the  other  kind  should  always  be  sold  as  Cartagena 
ipecacuanha. 


Effervescent  Sodium  Phosphate. 

Me.  Thomas  MacFarlanb,  Chief  Analyst  of  the  Canadian 
Inland  Revenue  Department,  has  issued  a  report  on  sixty- 
four  samples  of  effervescent  sodium  phosphate  as  sold  in 
Canada,  which  were  analysed  by  his  assistants.  Out  of  the 
sixty-four  only  thirteen  were  found  to  be  genuine.  Want  of 
genuineness,  in  Mr.  MacFarlane's  opinion,  appears  to  mean 
deficiency  in  sodium  phosphate.  The  British  Pharmacopoeia 
requires  the  preparation  to  contain  50  parts  of  crystallised 
sodium  phosphate  in  145  parts,  but  the  finished  product 
really  contains  20  per  cent,  of  anhydrous  sodium  phosphate, 
and  Mr.  A.  McGill,  B.A.  (Mr.  MacFarlane's  chief  assistant), 
reckons  this  out  to  10  per  cent,  of  P205.  He  recognises  that 
a  gradual  reaction  in  the  granules  is  inevitable  on  keeping, 
but  remark 3  that  manufacturers  put  the  article  up  very  care- 
fully in  order  to  prevent  deterioration.  Mr.  McG-ill  and  the 
other  analysts  found  only  nine  out  of  the  sixty-four  samples 
to  be  in  excess  of  10  per  cent.  P205,  three  showing  11  per 
■sent.,  three  18,  and  three  over  19  per  cent.,  one  being  sodium 
phosphate  itself.  Of  the  rest  of  the  samples,  two  contained 
2  per  cent,  of  P205,  four  3  per  cent.,  four  4  per  cent.,  ten 
5  per  cent.,  thirteen  6  per  cent.,  seven  7  per  cent,  two  8  per 
cent.,  four  9  per  cent ,  and  nine  10  per  cent.  The  analysts 
did  not,  except  in  a  few  cases,  distinguish  between  citric 
and  tartaric  acids ;  in  a  few  samples  no  citric  acid  was 
found.  The  products  were  all,  with  one  exception,  either  of 
Canadian  or  American  manufacture.  The  single  exception 
was  an  English  sample,  which  was  found  to  yield  only 
4'37  per  cent,  of  P203,  so  that  it  was  less  than  half  B.P. 
strength.  Mr.  McGill  remarks,  d  propos  of  some  samples 
resembling  sodii  citro-tartras  effervescens  : — 

If  samples  containing  sugar  be  sold  as  phosphate  of  soda,  they 
are  adulterated,  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act;  while  if  sold  as 
effervescent  sodium  citro- tartrate,  they  are  adulterated,  as  con 
taining  phosphate  of  soda.  It  is  not,  however,  to  be  understood 
that  any  blame  attaches  to  those  manufacturers  who  have,  up  to 


this  time,  placed  on  the  market  an  article  of  effervescing  phosphate 
of  soda,  containing  less  (or  more)  than  10  per  cent,  of  P205.  The 
preparation  appears  for  the  first  time  in  the  1898  edition  of  the 
British  Pharmacopoeia,  and  is  not  contained  at  all  in  the  United 
States  Pharmacopoeia.  Manufacturing-druggists  were  much  in 
advance  of  the  pharmacopoeias,  and  in  manufacturing  from  private 
formulas  they  naturally  uttered  an  effervescing  phosphate  of 
variable  character.  Many  of  the  samples  were  doubtless  in  the 
hands  of  dealers  before  the  preparation  became  officinal  in  1898. 
Now,  however,  that  effervescing  phosphate  of  soda  has  been 
authoritatively  defined,  it  will  be  required  of  those  who  furnish 
it  under  its  specific  name  that  they  should  supply  the  British 
Pharmacopoeia  article. 

It  is  somewhat  curious,  in  the  face  of  the  observations 
which  we  have  quoted,  that  the  analysts  did  not  direct  their 
attention  to  the  detection  of  any  arsenic  in  the  effervescent 
phosphate.  Considering  the  fact  that  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia,  unlike  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  provides 
a  test  for  arsenic  in  sodium  phosphate,  it  would  have  been 
exceedingly  interesting  to  see  what  effect  that  had  on  the 
quality  of  American  effervescent  sodium  phosphate  made 
before  the  arsenic-scare  arose  in  this  country. 

The  report  also  includes  an  analysis  of  Eno's  fruit-salt 
by  Dr.  Ellis,  made  in  October  1900,  his  analysis  revealing 
50-01  per  cent,  of  sodium  bicarbonate,  and  47-11  per  cent,  of 
citric  acid.  Abbey's  effervescent  salt  was  at  the  same  time 
analysed  by  Mr.  Kenrick  and  Mr.  Harrison,  and  their  results 
are  as  under  : — 


Kenrick 

Harrison 

Sulphuric  acid  (SOj)  

1-60 

Magnesia  (MgO)    i 

0-86 

0-83 

Calculated  to  Epsom  salts    ...  J 

529 

5-10 

Potash  (K20)  

1-61 

2-25 

Soda(Na20)    1 

13  58 

19-83 

Calculated  to  bi-carb.           ...  > 

36  80 

53  70 

Carbon  dioxide 

18-67 

Chlorine  in  chlorides  ... 

9-07 

Cane-sugar 

12-31 

15-38 

Tartaric  acid 

40-45 

39-75 

These  are  not  very  reconcilable  analyses,  the  total  absence 
of  chlorides  in  one  report  being  especially  noticeable.  Manu- 
facturers who  are  interested  in  the  report  may  be  able  to  get 
a  copy  of  it  from  the  High  Commissioner  for  Canada,  17 
Victoria  Street,  London,  S.W. 


THE  POISONS  COMMITTEE. 

As  we  announced  last  week,  the  Privy  Council's  Committee 
met  on  Wednesday,  October  23.  Mr.  E.  B.  Masham,  who  is 
acting  as  Secretary  to  the  Committee,  informs  us,  on  behalf 
of  the  Committee,  that  it  has  been  decided  to  hear  evidence, 
and  the  Committee  has  given  directions  for  certain  bodies 
to  be  invited  to  tender  evidence.  The  Committee  considers 
it  advisable  that  the  meetings  should  not  be  open  to  the 
public. 

PHARMACY  ACT  CASES. 
The  Pharmaceutical  Society's  Prosecution  Department  had 
quite  a  busy  time  o£  it  last  month.  Ia  addition  to  the  case 
against  John  McKinnell  which  we  reported  last  week,  they 
have  succeeded  in  Chambers  before  Sheriff  Fyfe  in  getting  a 
conviction  against  John  Leckie,  unqualified  assistant  with 
Alexander  W.  Mason,  described  in  the  papers  as  "chemist, 
597  Springburn  Road,  Glasgow."  Mr.  Mason  is  not  a  chemist 
and  druggist  at  all,  but  holds  the  Scotch  Triple  Medical 
qualification.  Leckie's  offence  was  a  sale  of  strychnine  in 
the  form  of  Easton's  Syrup,  and  he  had  to  pay  a  fine  of  31., 
and  a  guinea  and  a  half  of  expenses.  In  Dumbarbm,  before 
Sheriff  Gebbie,  a  conviction  was  also  obtained  against  Kate 
Marshall,  employed  in  the  open  shop  of  Richard  Allan, 
L.R.C.P.E.  and  L.F.P.S.G.,  who  is  Medical  Officer  of  Health 
for  the  Borough  of  Dumbarton,  and  a  practitioner  of  nearly 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


731 


thirty  years'  standing.  Miss  Marshall  was  convicted  under 
the  Act  in  April  last,  and  was  then  fined  21  2s.  and  11.  5s. 
costs.  She  has  now  to  pay  31.  3s.  and  11.  5s.  6d.  costs  or 
suffer  fourteen  days'  imprisonment  for  selling  Easton's  Syrup. 
This  week  the  Society  also  proceeded  against  Dr.  Allan 
for  not  entering  the  sale  in  the  poison-book,  and  the 
Sheriff  made  remarks  about  it  (see  page  733).  At 
Liverpool  the  Society  has  applied  to  Judge  Collier  for  a 
committal  order  against  John  Eames,  who  in  January  was 
ordered  to  pay  151.  3s.  8d.  for  selling  poisons  in  a  branch 
shop  belonging  to  Mr.  Stephen  Stephenson,  pharmaceu- 
tical chemist,  Kensington,  Liverpool.  Eames  has  not  paid 
up,  and  the  Society's  application  for  the  committal  order 
was  made  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Nield,  Mr.  William  Rudd  appearing 
for  the  defendant.  The  latter  explained  that  his  client, 
although  29,  is  only  an  apprentice  receiving  Is.  Qd.  a  week, 
and  he  offered  to  pay  4s.  a  month.  The  Judge  gave  a 
committal  order,  but  it  will  not  come  into  force  as  long  as 
Eames  pays  4s.  a  month,  and,  as  the  committal  order  only  lasts 
twelve  months,  Eames  may  have  the  distinction  of  beating 
the  Suciety,  as  the  cost  of  the  application  will  probably  be 
greater  than  the  amount  that  Eames  will  pay. 

DOMESTIC  FILTERS. 

Dr.  Joseph  Priestley,  the  Medical  Officer  of  Health  for 
Lambeth,  raises  the  question  of  what  standard  of  efficacy 
should  be  reached  by  domestic  filters.  He  contends  that 
household  filtration  is  not  the  fad  many  put  it  down  to  be, 
but  a  practical  necessity  for  the  sure  avoidance  of  water- 
borne  disease.  Elaborate  investigations  made  in  the  con- 
joint laboratory  of  the  Royal  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  seem  to  show  that  mo3t  of  the  filters  that  depend 
upon  charcoal  or  other  form  of  carbon  are  more  or  less 
useless  when  by  efficiency  is  msant  the  power  of  arresting 
disease-germs  and  preventing  their  passage  into  the  filtered 
water.  The  two  filters  which  in  these  investigations  were 
shown  to  arrest  germs  were  the  Pasteur-Chamberland  and 
the  Berkefeld.  The  Pasteur-Chamberland  filter  consists  of 
a  specially  prepared  porcelain  suggested  by  M.  Pasteur  and 
Dr.  Chamoerland,  whilst  in  the  Berkefeld  filter  infusorial 
earth  is  used.  These  considerations  lead  Dr.  Priestley  to 
suggest  that  the  standard  for  filters  for  the  British  Army  is 
not  efficient,  judging  by  the  outbreak  of  typhoid  fever  in 
South  Africa,  the  result  being  one  more  instance  of  the 
danger  of  draving  inferences  beyond  the  actual  facts  of 
published  experiments.  "  A  high  standard  for  domestic 
filtration  is  required,  and  the  Pasteur-Chamberland  filter  would 
seem  to  attain  that  standard,"  is  how  the  doctor  expresses 
his  preference  for  this  well-known  filter. 

ROOM  AT  THE  TOP. 

If  we  may  judge  from  special  inquiries  which  have  been 
addressed  to  us  within  the  past  month,  there  appears  to  be  a 
scarcity  at  present  of  young  pharmacists  of  good  business 
ability  and  well  up  in  analytical  work.  It  appears  to  be 
exceedingly  difficult  to  get  beginners  competent  by  education 
and  examination  to  undertake  pharmaceutical  assaying,  and 
one  gentleman  told  us  the  other  day  that  he  has  had  an 
ineffectual  search  during  the  past  four  months  for  one  with 
these  qualifications  to  take  a  situation  abroad.  There  is  no 
lack  of  men  of  a  kind,  but  there  are  few  who  are  not 
wanting  in  some  important  factor,  such  as  business  appli- 
cation, initiative,  and  nous.  Mr.  H.  S.  Wellcome  once 
remarki-d  that  100-per-cent.  men  are  those  most  needed  in 
manufacturing  pharmacy,  and,  judging  from  the  "want" 
advertisements  of  his  firm,  the  need  for  them  is  still 
felt  in  that  as  well  as  other  quarters.  We  cannot  think 
that  capable  young  pharmacists  are  not  to  be  got,  or  that 
the  desire  for  leaving  the  retail  for  the  comparative  leisure 
of  the  wholesale  has  suddenly  been  extinguished,  but  the 
Major  examination  results  this  year  certainly  give  colour  to 


the  supposition  that  ability  above  the  average  is  at  a 
discount.  We  daresay  some  young  men  are  prevented  by 
the  general  depression  of  the  trade  from  qualifying  them- 
selves as  well  as  they  might,  and  to  these  *e  would  say  that 
there  is  always  room  at  the  top,  and  the  best  equipment  for 
starting  the  climb  is  thorough  all-round  pharmaceutical 
knowledge,  with  exceptional  or  specialised  study  in  at  least 
one  department  directly  connected  with  manufacturing 
processes.  With  such  equipment,  and  steady  endeavour  to 
find  a  desirable  opening,  there  is  little  reason  why  any  man, 
however  obscure,  should  not  find  a  field  for  his  ability  and 
energies  which  will  enable  him  to  prove  that  he  is  a  100-per- 
cent, man. 

HOW  NOT  TO  CALCULATE  ADULTERATION. 
Mr.  Arthur  E.  Ekins,  F.I.C.,  the  analyst  for  Hertfordshire, 
in  his  report  of  September  30,  states  that  65  samples  were 
examined.  Of  these  16  were  drugs— namely,  6  samples  of 
Gregory's-powder,  5  of  lime-water,  2  of  quinine-wine,  2  of 
mercury-ointment,  and  1  of  liquorice-powder.  Three  of  the 
samples  of  Gregory's-powder  were  made  with  carbonate  of 
magnesia;  1  sample  of  lime-water  was  deficient  to  the 
extent  of  50  per  cent,  of  lime,  and  1  sample  of  mercury- 
ointment  was  deficient  to  the  extent  of  36  per  cent,  in 
mercury.  Commenting  upon  these  results  Mr.  Ekins 
remarks :  — 

I  am  sorry  to  find  so  large  a  percentage  (25  per  cent.)  of 
adulterated  drugs  sold  in  the  county.  In  the  interests  of  the  public 
health  the  purity  of  drugs  is  a  matter  of  great  importance,  and  it  is 
the  clear  duty  of  pharmacists  to  uphold  the  official  pharmacopoeia 
standards,  since  if  the  authority  of  the  standard  is  destroyed 
unscrupulous  persons  will  take  the  fullest  advantage  of  the 
licence  to  adulterate  drugs,  and  will  reduce  their  valuable  and 
active  constituents  to  a  minimum.  It  was,  in  my  opinion,  quite 
rightly  held  in  the  King's  Bench  Division  of  the  High  Court  of 
Justice  last  January  by  Mr.  Justice  Phillimore  and  Mr.  Justice 
Bruce,  that  the  British  Pharmacopoeia  was  the  legal  authority  for 
all  preparations  described  therein. 

Quite  right ;  but  the  way  that  Mr.  Ekins  puts  the  proportion 
of  adulteration  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  25  per  cent,  of 
the  drugs  sold  in  Hertfordshire  are  adulterated,  when,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  reference  is  solely  to  specimens  supplied 
to  him.  Mr.  Ekins  is  a  pharmaceutical  chemist,  and  he  will 
appreciate  the  importance  of  being  absolutely  accurate  in 
statements  which  go  before  the  public. 

MEDICAL  REFORM. 

Mr.  Victor  Horsley  is  again  on  the  war-path,  the  occasion 
being  the  election  of  direct  representatives  to  the  General 
Medical  Council.  He  spoke  at  Birmingham  on  Thursday, 
October  24,  to  the  General  Practitioners'  Union  of  the 
district,  "  Medical  Reform "  being  his  topic.  He  dealt  at 
some  length  with  the  Birmingham  Consultative  Institute 
and  the  trouble  which  Dr.  Irving  had  got  into  with  the 
General  Medical  Council  through  it.  He  then  took  up  the 
question  of  suppression  of  unqualified  practice,  saying  that 
efforts  of  the  profession  to  protect  the  public  against  fraud 
and  quackery  were  not  only  ignored  by  the  Government,  but 
opposition  was  offered  to  them.  While  the  profession 
discharged  its  obligations  under  the  Medical  Act  the  State 
did  not  carry  out  its  share  of  the  bargain  and  protect  the 
practice.  The  Privy  Council  had  done  nothing  but  shower 
contempt  on  the  General  Medical  Council.  While  this  injury 
had  been  inflicted  on  the  General  Medical  Council  from 
above,  the  same  contempt  was  exhibited  by  corporate 
bodies,  the  College  of  Physicians  and  the  College  of  Surgeons,, 
from  below.  They  took  upon  themselves  to  make  a  p  >int  of 
refusing  to  carry  out  the  regulations  of  the  General  Medical 
Council.  It  seemed  a  very  melancholy  thing  that  the 
Colleges  should  in  any  way  attempt  to  support  themselves 
by  ruining  the  system  of  medical  education,  and  yet  that 
was  what  it  would  come  to.  If  they  did  not  succeed  in 
centring  these  powers  in  the  General  Medical  Council  and 
in  making  that  body  really  representative  of  the  profession 
by  a  new  Medical  Act,  then  medical  education  would  receive 
a  set-back  from  which  it  would  not  recover  for  twenty  years. 


732 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


Xegal  TReports, 


Trade  Law. 

Tbree  Years'  Tenancies. — At  Westminster  County  Court  on 
October  25,  Deputy-Judge  Horton  Smith,  K.C.,  heard  evidence  in  an 
action  regarding  the  payment  of  a  solicitor's  agreement  for  a  three 
years'  tenancy  of  a  462.  house.  The  landlidy  instructed  her 
solicitor  to  draw  up  an  agreement  and  the  tenant,  after  the  matter 
was  completed,  was  presented  by  the  solicitor  with  a  bill  for 
21.  12s.,  which  he  refused  to  pay.  This  led  to  the  recent  action. 
In  the  course  of  the  argument  it  was  pointed  out  that  a  three 
years'  agreement  is  not  a  lease,  and  that,  although  in  the  case  of  a 
lease  it  is  usual  for  the  tenant  to  pay  the  solicitor's  expenses,  it  is 
not  so  with  three  years'  agreements.  But  the  solicitor  who  drew 
up  the  agreement  submitted  that  it  is  a  lease,  whereupon  the 
Judge  pointed  out  that  the  document  in  question  was  only  a 
memorandum  or  agreement,  and  that  there  was  nothing  in  it  about 
an  agreement  for  a  lease  except  a  mention  in  the  heading.  He 
also  stated  that  when  a  three  years'  house  agreement  expires  and 
the  tenant  remains  without  a  further  agreement  it  is  for  the  same 
term,  and  not  as  a  year  to  year  tenant,  as  is  generally  supposed. 
The  case  was  adjourned  for  further  consideration. 


High  Court  Cases. 

Babber  v.  Norwich  Vinegar  and  Distillery  Company 
(Limited). 

This  action  was  mentioned  before  Mr.  Justice  Joyce  in  the 
Chancery  Division  on  October  25,  Mr.  Bonner,  on  behalf  of 
the  plaintiff,  moving  for  the  appointment  of  a  receiver  and 
manager  of  the  defendant  company.  The  plaintiff,  Miss 
Marion  Barber,  held  debentures  for  4,5002  out  of  a  total 
issue  of  5,0002.  His  Lordehip  made  the  order  accordingly, 
the  receiver  (the  manager  of  the  company)  givirjg  security 
and  the  plaintiff  undertaking  in  the  meantime  to  be  re- 
sponsible for  his  receipts. 

The  Ship  Mark  for  Soaps. 

In  the  Chancery  Division  on  October  25,  before  Mr.  Justice 
Joyce,  the  case  of  Price's  Patent  Candle  Company  (Limited) 
v.  Jeyes'  Sanitary  Compounds  Company  (Limited)  came  on 
for  decision.  It  was  a  motion  for  an  injunction  to  restrain 
the  defendants  from  using  the  device  of  a  ship  upon  any 
poster,  advertisement,  or  otherwise  in  connection  with  the 
sale  of  any  soap  not  of  the  plaintiffs'  manufacture.  The 
plaintiffs'  case  was  that  for  more  than  twenty  years  they 
had  used  as  their  trade-mark  the  device  of  a  ship  in  full 
sail,  and  their  goods  had  become  known  in  the  market  as 
"  ship-mark  "  goods.  The  defendants  had  recently  issued  a 
large  coloured  poster  containing  a  device  of  a  Norwegian 
ship  with  a  single  sail  on  which  was  a  large  red  cross  The 
poster  also  contained  the  words  "Jeyes'  Fluid  Powder 
Soaps "  The  defendants'  device  did  not  resemble  the 
plaintiffs',  and  defendants  did  not  use  it  upon  their  labels 
or  wrappers,  but  used  a  trade-mark  consisting  of  a  picture 
of  a  nurse  with  a  cross  upon  her  arm.  Mr.  Justice  Joyce,  in 
refusing  an  injunction,  said  that  the  plaintiffs  had  not 
proved  any  actual  deception,  and  did  not  impute  to  the 
defendants  any  fraudulent  intent.  The  question  was 
whether  the  poster  complained  of  was  a  misrepresentation 
and  would  lead  to  the  injury  of  the  plaintiff?.  That  was  a 
question  of  fact.  Without  going  so  far  as  to  say  that  the 
use  of  this  poster  might  not  lead  persons  of  phenomenal 
ignorance  or  stupidity  to  make  mistakes,  he  did  not  think 
that  it  would  have  that  effect  in  the  case  of  persons  of 
ordinary  common-sense. 


Merchandise  =  Marks  Act. 

"  Chloros." 

At  Southwark  Police  Court  on  October  25,  Adcock,  Easton 
&  Co.,  of  Charteris  Works,  Charberis  Koad,  Finsbury,  were 
summoned  before  Mr.  Paul  Taylor  by  Mr.  James  Seymour 
Wade,  the  London  representative  of  the  United  Alkali 
Company,  of  Liverpool,  for  unlawfully  applying  the  false 
trade-description  of  "Chloros"  to  certain  goods  and  for 
selling  the  same.    There  were  ten  summonses  in  all.  Mr. 


Stewart  Brown,  barrister,  appeared  in  support  of  the  sum- 
monses, and  Mr.  Mallinson,  barrister,  was  for  the  defence. 
Mr.  Brown,  in  opening  the  case,  explained  that  "Chloros  " 
is  a  disinfectant  manufactured  by  the  United  Alkali  Com- 
pany, and  the  nam<%  plus  two  hands,  is  registered  as  a 
trademark.  In  March,  1901,  the  Southwark  Borough 
Council  advertised  for  tenders  for  the  supply  of  "  Chloros," 
and  the  defendants'  tender  to  supply  it  at  Is.  per  gal.  was 
accepted.  At  that  time  they  had  no  contract  with  the 
United  Alkali  Company  to  supply  them  with  "  Chloros,"  but 
in  the  latter  part  of  April,  on  receiving  an  order  from  the 
Borough  Council  for  a  delivery  of  some  of  this  disinfectant, 
they  wrote  to  the  United  Alkali  Company,  who  agreed  to 
supply  it  for  Is.  6d.  per  gal.  Following  this,  "Chloros" 
was  shipped  to  the  defendants  at  various  times  in  jars 
similar  to  tho3e  generally  used  for  whisky.  Stoppers, 
similar  to  those  in  champagne  bottles,  were  in  the  jars,  and 
there  was  a  piece  of  sacking  tied  over  each  stopper.  When 
some  of  the  jars  were  afterwards  delivered  to  the  Borough 
Council  it  was  observed  that  the  stoppers  had  been  removed 
and  corks  placed  in  their  stead,  and  the  sacking  had  been 
used  to  tighten  the  corks.  Samples  were  taken,  and  it  was 
discovered  that  the  "  Chloros  "  had  been  diluted.  Mr.  Paul 
Taylor :  How  did  the  United  Alkali  Company  know  that 
this  "  Chloros  "  went  to  the  Borough  Council  1  Mr.  Brown  : 
They  are  the  sole  manufacturers  of  "  Chloros,"  and  they 
tendered  to  supply  it  at  Is.  3d.  per  gal.  They  did  not  get 
the  tender,  and  were  surprised  to  find  that  peDple  who  did 
not  make  it  could  supply  it  at  so  much  lower  rate.  Pro- 
ceeding, he  said  that  180  gals,  were  delivered  to  the  Borough 
Council,  but  only  150  came  from  the  United  Alkali  Com- 
pany, and  that  increase  of  20  per  cent,  in  the  quantity 
agreed  in  a  remarkable  way  with  the  analysis.  Mr.  Arthur 
Harrison,  engineer  and  surveyor  to  the  Soithwark  Borough 
Council,  gave  evidence  as  to  the  tenders,  and  produced  the 
counterfoil  of  the  orders  and  the  invoices  received  from  the 
defendants.  Cross-examined,  he  stated  that  the  specifica- 
tion described  the  required  article  as  sodium  hypochlorite 
of  not  less  strength  than  10  per  cent,  weight  of  chlorine. 
Mr.  Mallinson :  Sodium  hypochlorite  has  been  known  a 
hundred  years.  Witness  replied  that  he  did  not  remember 
for  so  long  a  period.  He  told  the  defendants  that  they 
could  get  the  "  Chloros  "  from  the  United  Alkali  Company. 
He  did  not  care  where  they  obtained  it  so  long  as  it  was  of 
the  required  strength.  Mr  Stewart  Brown  mentioned  that 
"  Chloros  "  was  of  the  strength  mentioned  in  the  specifica- 
tion. Mr.  Mallinson  said  the  defendants  tendered  to  supply 
sodium  hypochlorite.  If  the  disinfectant  they  supplied  was 
not  of  the  required  strength  it  did  not  follow,  he  submitted, 
that  they  had  applied  a  false  trade-description.  The 
witness,  in  reply  to  the  Magistrate,  said  that  what  he 
expacted  to  be  supplied  with  was  "Chloros"  or  some 
equivalent  in  strength  Several  witnesses  having  given 
evidence  as  to  "  Chloros  "  being  well  known  as  the  United 
Alkali  Company's  manufacture,  the  case  was  adjourned. 

The  hearing  was  resumed  on  October  26,  when  Mr. 
Shrubsall  Smith,  consulting  engineer  to  the  United  Alkali 
Company,  was  the  first  witness  called,  and  gave  evidence 
as  to  the  taking  of  samples.  Mr.  Mallinson  complained  that 
the  defendants  had  not  been  supplied  with  any  of  the 
samples,  in  order  that  they  could  have  a  separate  analysis 
taken  Mr.  Smith,  cross-examined,  said  that  sodium  hypo- 
chlorite had  been  known  for  many  year?,  but  only  of  a 
strength  of  3  per  cent.  It  was  made  10  per  cent,  in  1895, 
but  only  by  the  United  Alkali  Company.  A  paper  written 
by  him,  and  published  in  1898,  showed  how  it  could  be 
made  of  greater  strength.  Mr.  Mallinson :  If  you  sent 
me  a  bottle  of  "  Chloros,''  and  on  the  journey  it  depre- 
ciated iu  strength,  would  it  still  be  "Chloros'  ?  Witness: 
It  would  not  be  "  Chloros  "  unless  it  was  brought  up  to  the 
proper  standard  before  it  was  delivered.  Further  cross- 
examined,  the  witness  said  that  the  chlorine  would  eat  away 
a  little  of  the  wooden  stopper,  but  to  a  very  trifl-ng  extent; 
and,  being  a  very  powerful  agent,  if  it  touched  the  sacking 
the  sacking  would  rot.  To  anyone  receiving  a  jar  for  the 
first  time  it  might  appear  as  if  a  new  stopper  was  required. 
They  had  no  knowledge  that  any  of  the  jars  were  received 
by  the  defendants  without  any  stoppers.  They  would  not 
complain  if  the  defendants  merely  re-corked  the  jars. 
Formal  evidence  was  then  given,  and  the  case  was  adjourned 
for  six  days. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


733 


Sale  of  Food  and  Drugs  Acts. 

Boric  Acid  in  Buttep. 
At  Folkestone  on  October  26,  Pearks,  Gunston  &  Tee 
(Limited)  appealed  against  the  decision  of  the  Magistrates 
finiDg  the  appellants  501.  and  costs  for  selling  butter  con- 
taining boric  acid  ;  and  Mr.  Eecorder  Coward  quashed  the 
conviction,  with  full  costs.  Mr.  Bousfield.for  the  appellants, 
told  the  Court  that  his  witnesses  were  Dr.  Tunnicliffe, 
member  of  the  Government  Departmental  Committee ;  Dr. 
Luff,  from  the  Home  Office;  Dr.  Thresh,  Medical  Officer  of 
Health  for  Essex ;  Mr.  Bannister,  late  deputy  chief  of  the 
Government  Laboratory,  Somerset  House ;  besides  three 
chief  importers  of  butter. 

Liniment  of  Soap. 
At  the  Clerk  en  well  Police  Court  on  October  30,  Boots,  Cash 
Chemists  (Southern)  (Limited),  successors  to  Day's  Metro- 
politan Drug  Company,  79  Camberwell  Road,  were  summoned 
by  Jas.  Cowling,  sanitary  inspector,  on  behalf  of  the 
Islington  Borough  Couccil,  before  Mr.  D'Eyncourt,  for 
selling,  at  167  Upper  Street,  Islington,  liniment  of  soap 
containing  methylated  alcohol  which  had  been  substituted 
for  the  alcohol  (spiritus  rectificatus)  of  the  Pharmacopce  a. 
Mr.  Bramall  prosecuted,  and  Mr.  Beck  defended.  Clara 
Herbert  proved  the  purchase  of  the  liniment  of  soap. 
Inspector  Cowling  proved  submitting  the  sample  purchased 
to  the  public  analyst.  He  called  the  attention  of  the 
manager  of  the  shop  to  the  fact  that  "  Boots,  Cash  Chemists," 
was  on  the  invoice,  although  "  Day's  Drug-stores  "  was  over 
the  shop.  The  manager  replied,  "  Yes  ;  it's  changed  hands. 
It's  about  all  the  same  thing."  Cross-examined  :  The  name 
of  Boots  might  now  be  over  the  premises ;  but  he  had  not 
noticed  it. 

Mr.  Beck  submitted  that  there  was  no  case  against  Boots. 
Mr.  D'E\ncourt :  Yes  ;  there  is. 

Mr.  Beck  applied  to  have  the  third  sample  sent  to  Somerset 
House  for  analysis.  He  remarked  that  after  the  summons  was 
issued  the  clerk  to  Boots  (Limited)  went  to  the  Islington 
Town  Hall,  and  stated  that  the  wrong  parties  were  being 
prosecuted.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Boots  had  recently  taken 
over  a  number  of  businesses  in  the  name  of  Day's  Drug- 
stores. The  actual  contract  of  purchase  took  effect  some 
months  ago,  but  the  completion  did  not  take  place  until 
October.  Until  the  completion,  he  contended,  Day's  were 
responsible  for  carrying  on  the  business.  For  the  purpose 
of  proving  ownership,  he  asked  for  an  adjournment. 

A  copy  of  the  C.  $f  D.  was  produced  to  prove  the  transfer 
of  the  business  before  the  sale  was  made. 

Mr.  D'Eyncourt :  I  shall  not  allow  you  to  have  an  adjourn- 
ment on  both  grounds.  If  you  decide  to  have  an  adjourn- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  taking  an  analysis,  I  shall  not  allow 
you  to  again  raise  the  question  of  ownership.  You  must 
decide  on  which  ground  you  will  take  your  adjournment. 
You  ought  to  have  been  prepared  with  your  case. 

Mr.  Beck :  Very  well ;  I  will  not  go  into  the  question  of 
analysis.  I  will  take  the  adjournment  on  the  ground  of 
ownership. 

The  case  was  accordingly  adjourned. 

Pabke's  Drug  stores  (Limited),  of  173  High  Street, 
Camden  Town,  were  summoned  by  the  Islington  Borough 
Council  for  selling  at  251  Upper  Street,  Islington,  liniment 
of  soap  containing  methylated  alcohol  which  had  been 
substituted  for  the  alcohol  (spiritus  rectificatus)  of  the 
Pharmacopoeia.  Formal  evidence  was  given  of  the  purchase 
of  a  sample  from  the  shop,  251  Upper  Street,  and  its  analysis 
by  the  public  analyst.  Mr.  Eeck  applied  for  an  adjourn- 
ment in  order  that  a  portion  of  the  sample  might  be  sent  to 
Somerset  House  for  analysis. 

Mr.  D'Eyncourt  consented  to  an  adjournment. 

Milk  op  Sulphur. 
At  South  wold  Petty  Sessions  on  October  23,  before  Mr- 
E.  O.  Debney  (in  the  chair),  Dr.  Woollett,  and  Dr.  Herbert, 
R.  P.  Critten,  chemist  and  druggist,  was  charged  with 
selling  milk  of  sulphur  adulterated  with  57  per  cent,  of 
sulphate  of  lime.  The  defendant  pleaded  not  guilty,  saying 
that  to  the  b?st  of  his  belief  he  asked  Superintendent 
Andrews  whether  he  wanted  the  ordirary  commercial  milk 
of  sulphur  or  the  best  precipitated.  He  was  simply  asked 
for  milk  of  sulphur,  and  supplied  the  commercial  article. 


He  did  not  think  the  contention  could  be  borne  out  that  it 
was  prejudicial  to  the  customer.  The  Town  Clerk  :  Is  there 
any  difference  in  the  price  ?  Mr.  Critten  :  Very  slight,  and 
makes  no  difference  to  the  retail  price.  It  was  a  trap  that 
90  per  cent,  of  chemists  might  fall  into.  He  maintained 
that  if  pure  or  precipitate  sulphur  was  wanted  it  should 
have  been  asked  for.  After  thirty-five  years'  residence  in 
Southwold  he  prided  himself  on  sending  out  first-class 
articles.  The  case  was  dismissed  on  the  defendant  paying 
6s.  costs,  because  the  Magistrates  were  doubtful  if  the  sale 
was  to  the  prejudice  of  the  customer. 

Spirit  of  Nitre  a  Perishable  Article. 

At  Saxmundham  Sessions  on  October  24,  before  Messrs- 
T.  P.  Borrett  (Chairman)  and  J.  K.  Brooke,  John  Henry 
GostliDg,  of  Haleswortb,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  was 
charged  with  selling,  on  September  16,  sweet  spirit  of 
nitre  which  was  not  of  the  nature,  substance,  and  quality 
demanded.  Mr.  R.  J.  Owen  appeared  for  the  defence, 
instructed  by  the  Chemists'  Defence  Association.  Superin- 
tendent Andrews  proved  the  purchase,  and  pioduced  the 
analyst's  certificate. 

Mr.  Owen  objected  to  this  certificate  because  it  did  not 
state,  as  required  by  Section  18  of  the  1875  Act  and  the 
schedule  thereto,  "  whether  any  change  had  taken  place  in 
the  constitution  of  the  article."  Mr.  Owen  explained  to  the 
Bench  that  spirit  of  nitre  is  an  article  liable  to  decom- 
position. 

Mr.  W.  Lincolne  Sutton,  public  analyst,  was  called,  and 
deposed  to  analysing  the  sample,  in  which  he  found  82  per 
cent,  deficiency  of  ethyl  nitrite.  In  cross-examination, 
witness  said  a  chemical  change  would  take  place  under 
certain  conditions,  such  as  being  exposed  to  air  or  light ; 
but  he  maintained  that  the  deterioration  in  this  case  was 
chiefly  by  evaporation. 

In  proof  of  the  objection  submitted  by  Mr.  Owen,  Mr. 
Martin  Priest  stated  that  directly  a  bottle  containing  sweet 
spirit  of  nitre  was  opened  it  commenced  to  evaporate  and 
decompose  ;  the  residue  was  consequently  weaker  in  its  con- 
stituents. In  answer  to  Superintendent  Andrews,  witness 
said  a  chemist  would  not  be  wise  to  keep  it  in  an  ordinary 
bottle  on  a  shelf  in  the  shop ;  he  should  keep  it  in  an 
amber-coloured  bottle,  so  as  to  protect  it  from  the  light  as 
much  as  possible. 

Mr.  Glyn-Jones  also  deposed  that  sweet  spirit  of  nitre 
was  an  article  that  it  was  impossible  to  sell  to  the  public  at 
the  strength  set  down  by  the  British  Pharmacopoeia.  Apart 
from  evaporation,  it  was  liable  to  decomposition.  Witness 
told  the  Bench  that  he  had  purchased  over  a  score  of 
samples  in  London,  and  more  than  half  of  them  were  under 
the  Pharmacopoeia  minimum.  In  answer  to  Superintendent 
Andrews,  witness  said  quite  half  of  the  prosecutions  in  the 
country  under  the  Act  as  regards  pharmacopoeia  prepara- 
tions were  over  sweet  spirit  of  nitre.  The  deficiency  of 
strength  could  not  be  avoided.  The  Magistrates  asked 
witness  if  the  spirit  changed  like  milk  or  butter,  and  he 
replied  that  the  principal  constituent  of  spirit  of  nitre — 
ethyl  nitrite — rapidly  decomposed  in  presence  of  water  and 
air.  There  was  water  in  the  spirit  itself,  and  the  sample  in 
court  was  in  a  bottle  that  had  a  large  air-space.  He  was 
strongly  of  opinion  that  the  sample  was  not  in  the  condition 
in  which  it  was  sold. 

Mr.  Owen  having  pressed  for  a  decision  on  his  objection, 
the  Magistrates  retired,  and,  on  their  return,  the  Chairman 
said  the  prosecution  failed,  as  the  analyst's  certificate  was 
not  in  accordance  with  the  Act.  The  summons  was  accord- 
irgly  dismissed. 


County  Court  Cases. 

A  Chemist  and  his  Difficulties. 
In  the  City  of  London  Court  on  October  29,  before  Judge 
Lumley  Smith,  K.C.,  the  case  of  Met  geson  &  Co.  (Limited) 
v.  Wooster  was  mentioned.  The  plaintiffs,  of  14  Miles  Lane, 
Upper  Thames  Street,  E.C.,  had  sued  the  defendant,  Mr.  W. 
Wooster,  chemist,  Southall,  for  151.  10s.  4i.  for  gcods  supplied 
to  him  in  the  way  of  his  trade.  Judgment  had  been  given 
for  him  in  default  of  the  plaintiffs' appearance,  and  they  now 
applied  to  have  the  case  reinstated.  The  defendant  did 
not  dispute  his  liability,  but  he  wanted  the  Court  to  say  that 
he  should  pay  21.  per  month,  because  he  had  made  similar 


734 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


terms  with  his  other  creditors.  Unfortunately,  he  said,  he 
had  been  pushed  by  his  creditors,  and  he  was  now  getting 
out  of  his  troubles  by  the  aid  of  a  friend,  but  his  friend 
would  not  give  the  plaintiffs'  the  personal  guarantee  they 
wanted.  Mr.  Hugill,  plaintiffs'  solicitor,  said  they  could  not 
rely  upon  the  defendant's  word.  He  had  written  a  dozen 
letters,  and  he  had  sent  cheques  which  had  been  returned, 
and  made  promises  of  payment  which  he  had  not  kept.  The 
plaintiffs  were  so  disgusted  wi>h  the  defendant  breaking  his 
word  that  they  would  not  take  21.  per  month  unless  it  was 
guaranteed.  The  defendant  had  a  shop  full  of  stock.  They 
did  not  want  to  be  bard  upon  him.  The  Judge  said  the 
plaintiffs  would  have  judgment  payable  in  a  week.  That 
would  give  the  defendant  time  to  turn  round. 

An  Electrical-massage  Advertisement. 

In  the  Westminster  County  Court  on  October  30,  Deputy- 
Judge  Horton  Smith,  K.C.,  heard  evidence  in  the  action 
brought  by  Messrs  Mather  &  Crowther.  advertising- 
agents,  New  Bridge  Street,  E.C.,  to  recover  34^.  17*.  4d.  for 
work  done  for  the  defendant,  Otto  E.  Muschik,  of  the 
Vibratorium,  Oxford  Street,  W.  Mr.  Lawless  was  counsel 
for  the  plaintiffs,  and  defendant  conducted  his  own  case. 
The  case  for  the  plaintiffs  was  that  defendant  had  three 
photographs,  taken  by  an  amateur  at  his  residence  at  Hamp- 
stead,  showing  his  electrical-massage  machine  in  use.  Plain- 
tiffs were  to  make,  engravings  from  the  photographs,  and 
they  were  made,  and  51.  charged.  They  were  to  appear  in 
defendant's  advertisement,  and  he  got  them  made  in  Ger- 
many, discarding  those  made  by  the  plaintiffs,  who  printed 
the  advertisement,  using  the  German  blocks.  The  printing- 
account  was  for  281.  7s  M  and  the  balance  was  for  com- 
posing four  pages  of  fresh  matter.  The  defence  was  that 
only  a  pencil-sketch  was  to  be  made.  His  Honour  said  the 
case  was  clear  on  the  correspondence.  Mr.  Martin  Kruger, 
who  was  manager  to  Dr.  Muschik  at  the  time  of  the  order, 
said  a  pencil-sketch  only  was  intended.  His  Honour  said 
any  mistake  there  had  been  was  due  to  Mr  Kruger  not 
understanding  English,  and  found  for  the  plaintiffs,  with 
costs. 


Pharmacy  Act  1868. 

Sale  op  Easton's  Syrup. 
At  Dumbarton  Sheriff  Court  on  October  29— Sheriff  Gebbie 
on  the  bench — Dr.  Richard  Allan,  Dumbarton,  was  charged 
at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Richard  Bremridge,  Registrar  to  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society,  with  a  contravention  of  the  17th 
section  of  the  Pharmacy  Act,  by  selling  to  a  person  unknown 
to  the  seller  a  quantity  of  Easton's  syrup,  containing  strych- 
nine, and  failing  to  have  the  sale  entered  in  the  poison- 
book,  also  with  failing  to  label  it  "  Poison." 

Respondent  pleaded  not  guilty,  and  his  solicitor  (Mr. 
McFarlane)  said  this  was  the  same  offence  as  his  Lordship 
punished  Dr.  Allan's  servant  for  last  week,  and  he  thought 
it  was  a  strange  thing  that  this  Society,  who  knew  the  facts, 
did  not  bring  this  charge  forward  last  court- day,  so  that  his 
Lordship  might  have  the  whole  facts  before  him,  instead  of 
dealing  with  the  matter  in  this  piecemeal  wav.  He  thought 
that  the  prosecution  of  Dr  Allan  was  oppressive,  and  that  it 
was  incompetent,  because  an  attempt  was  being  made  to  get 
a  second  conviction  oa  the  same  species  facti.  He  admitted 
that  the  girl  did  sell  this  poison,  not  only  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  doctor,  but  directly  contrary  to  his  express 
instructions. 

The  Sheriff  said  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  whether  the 
prosecution  was  oppressive  or  not  there  and  at  that  time. 
If  Mr  McFarlane  had  any  objections  to  the  relevancy  he 
thought  he  should  state  them. 

Mr.  Peter  Morrison,  jun.  (for  the  prosecutor),  said  there 
was  no  ground  whatever  for  suggesting  that  the  pro- 
ceedings were  oppressive.  It  was  a  different  charge, 
under  another  section  of  the  Act,  and  against  a 
different  offender.  Besides,  Section  17  stated  that  for 
the  purposes  of  this  section  the  person  on  whose  behalf 
the  snle  was  made  by  any  servant,  or  apprentice  was 
deemed  to  be  the  seller.  The  doctor  was  therefore  in  the 
position  of  employer.  As  to  bringing  the  case  up  last  week, 
the  first  offence  had  to  be  established  before  this  other 
offence  could  be  properly  d-ealt  with.     The  Registrar 


had  a  public  duty  to  perform,  and  he  was  under  the  neces- 
sity of  bringing  this  entirely  different  charge  against  the 
person  who  was  struck  at  by  the  provisions  of  Section  17. 
The  other  offender  had  been  punished,  not  under  that  section 
at  all,  but  under  Sections  1  and  15,  for  an  illegal  sale  of 
poison.  There  was  no  charge  of  illegal  sale  of  poison 
against  the  doctor.  Section  17  made  provision  for  the 
labelling  of  poisons,  and  that  was  what  had  been  totally 
disregarded  in  this  case.  He  further  pointed  out  that  in 
the  case  against  the  girl,  the  agent  did  not  state  that  she 
sold  the  pois< >n  directly  contrary  to  her  employer's  instruc- 
tions.   He  asked  the  Sheriff  to  fix  a  diet  for  proof. 

Mr.  McFarlane :  Are  you  not  ready  now  1  I  have  one 
witness  here,  and  I  think  that  should  be  noticed. 

The  Sheriff  said  that  in  all  criminal  cases  the  accused 
party  was  cited  to  appear,  and  if  he  pleaded  not  guilty  he 
asked  for  an  adjournment  in  order  that  he  might  cite  wit- 
nesses. Indeed,  if  he  were  to  decide  otherwise,  the  case 
would  certainly  be  upset  in  the  Judiciary  Court  on  the 
ground  that  there  was  oppressive  procedure.  What  held 
good  in  one  case  he  thought  should  also  apply  to  the  other 
party,  and,  therefore,  he  would  adjourn  the  case  for  proof 
till  Monday,  November  11. 


Bankruptcies  anD  jf allures. 


Be  Geobge  Bland  Towler,  trading  as  a  Chemist  at  Heath 
Town,  Wolverhampton. — A  meeting  of  creditors  was  to  have 
been  held  at  the  office  of  the  Wolverhampton  Official  Receiver  on 
October  29,  but  no  one  put  in  an  appearance,  and  the  matter  was 
left  to  be  dealt  with  by  the  Official  Receiver. 


Be  James  Chaenock  Marshall,  Manufacturing  Chemist, 
Caetleton,  Rochdale. — This  debtor  appeared  for  his  adjourned 
examination  at  Rochdale  Bankruptcy  Court  on  October  24. 
After  further  questioning,  the  Registrar  (Mr.  J.  T.  Worth)  said 
debtor  was  not  giving  a  full  explanation  of  his  position,  and 
unless  he  were  satisfied  that  the  debtor  had  made  a  full  dis- 
closure of  his  affairs  prior  to  and  since  the  bankruptcy  was  com- 
menced, he  should  adjourn  the  examination  sine  die.  The 
examination  was  again  adjourned. 


Be  William  Stokoe  White,  Salford,  Chemist  and  Druggist.— 
At  the  Salford  County  Court  on  October  28,  before  Mr.  E. 
Brierley,  Deputy-Judge,  this  debtor  asked  for  his  discharge.  He 
had  become  bankrupt  when  25  years  of  age,  his  total  liabilities 
amounting  to  704£.  9s.  &d.  No  assets  were  disclosed,  but  a  little 
over  lOcZ  in  the  pound  had  been  paid  as  dividend.  It  was  stated 
that  the  debtor  did  not  become  aware  of  his  insolvency  until  after 
judgment  had  been  given  against  him  in  an  action.  The  dividend 
had  come  out  of  some  mortgaged  property  at  Skipton.  The  Official 
Receiver  said  the  debtor  had  contracted  debts  without  any  pro- 
bability of  paying  them,  and  had  not  come  to  the  court  when  his 
assets  were  of  the  value  of  10s.  in  the  pound.  His  discharge  was 
suspended  for  two  years. 


Be  Thomas  Parkins,  267  Chapel  Street,  Salford,  Chemist  and 
Druggist. — The  public  examination  of  this  debtor  took  place  at 
the  Salford  Bankruptcy  Court  on  October  25.  Particulars  of  the 
failure  were  given  in  our  issue  of  October  19,  page  655.  In  the 
course  of  the  examination  he  told  Mr.  Dibb,  the  Official  Receiver, 
that  after  his  wife  died  in  September  1893  he  carried  on  the 
business  under  the  provisions  of  her  will.  She  purchased  the 
business  from  him  (Mr.  Dibbj  after  debtor's  bankruptcy  in  1884. 
She  gave  601.  or  70Z.  for  it ;  she  got  the  money  on  loan.  Mr. 
Dibb  :  Did  you  let  anybody  know  you  were  carrying  on  the 
business  as  her  executor? — No,  I  did  not  think  it  was  necessary. 
What  had  you  on  your  billheads  1 — They  are  headed  "  debtor  "  to 
myself.  I  had  to  do  that  according  to  the  provisions  of  the 
Pharmacy  Act.  I  had  to  have  my  name  on  the  labels,  the  sign 
over  the  door,  and  everywhere  else.  But  the  Pharmacy  Act  did 
not  prevent  you  from  having  your  name  printed  as  executor  for 
your  late  wife.  Under  his  late  wife's  will,  debtor  said,  he  was  to 
carry  on  the  business  until  his  youngest  son  was  35  years  of  age. 
He  never  kept  any  books  of  account  in  connection  with  the  trust, 
nor  had  he  ever  prepared  any  profit-and-loss  account.  He  had 
never  been  initiated  into  the  art  of  bookkeeping.  He  had  been 
in  good  situations,  but  never  saw  his  employers  keep  books.  He 
did  not  know  it  was  the  duty  of  an  executor  to  keep  books, 
although  he  was  trustee  for  his  children.  The  dentistry  business 
was  carried  on  separately  from  the  chemist's  business.  The 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST 


AND  DRUGGIST 


735 


dentistry  business  belonged  to  his  son,  who  kept  a  proper 
account  and  paid  hirn  so  much.  The  Official  Receiver:  There  is 
no  chance  of  your  paying  |<Z.  in  the  pound  ?— No.  Wby  did  you 
not  come  to  the  Court  when  your  assets  were  of  the  value  of  10s. 
in  the  pound  ?— Because  I  did  not  know  it  was  the  law.  You  give 
bad  trade,  want  of  capital,  and  severe  competition  as  the  causes 
of  your  failure.  How  was  that?— Well,  Boots,  Cash  Chemists, 
opened  a  shop  four  doors  from  me,  and  that  has  done  me  a  lot  of 
harm.  Their  low  prices  I  cculd  not  stand  against.  Still  they 
have  to  employ  qualified  assistants.  I  suppose  by  bad  trade  you 
mean  insufficient  trade?— Yes,  not  enough.  How  did  want  of 
capital  affect  you?— I  had  to  buy  dearer.  When  did  you  first 
know  you  were  insolvent  ?  —Not  until  the  last  three  or  four 
months.  I  wa3  hoping  that  trade  would  improve  and  that  I 
should  get  over  it  until  I  was  pressed  with  these  judgments.  I 
am  quite  unaware,  even  to  day,  that  I  have  been  living  on  my 
creditors.  What  has  been  your  average  turnover  in  the  chemist's 
business  during  the  last  five  years  ?— About  350?.  a  year.  I  have 
a  son  in  the  shop,  and  there  were  rent,  rates,  and  taxes.  I  do  not 
know  what  my  weekly  expenses  were,  but  there  would  not  be  a 
very  large  sum  left  for  profits.  Law  costs  during  two  or  three 
years  have  come  to  50?.  After  being  questioned  regarding  various 
loans  debtor  said,  although  he  had  not  kept  proper  books,  he  had 
kept  a  record  of  his  cash  tailings.  He  had  done  that  for  years  to 
see  how  much  he  was  taking.  He  had  seen  the  same  system 
adopted  in  other  places  where  he  had  been.  He  had  no  other 
system.  That  and  the  invoice-file  are  all  he  had  to  show  what  he 
was  doing.  Why  have  you  not  kept  a  record  of  your  business 
transactions  ? — I  did  not  know  that  it  was  necessary.  With  a 
deficiency  of  nearly  600?.  how  did  you  manage  to  conceal  from 
yourself  the  knowledge  that  you  were  insolvent  ? — I  obtained 
nearly  300?.  from  my  present  wife,  and  there  was  150?.  in  loans, 
and  trade  liabilities  150?.  I  paid  debts  with  my  wife's  money,  and 
I  put  in  a  new  window  which  cost  me  50?.  There  were  twenty-five 
judgments  and  one  astion  aga,inst  you  at  the  time  of  the  filing  of 
your  petition.  These  judgments  began  in  February,  1900,  and 
extended  to  September  last  ? — I  had  arranged  most  of  the  pay- 
ments with  them.  The  debtor  was  further  questioned  as  to  his 
insolvency  at  Huddersfield,  and  when  told  that  some  of  his 
creditors  had  lent  him  money  not  knowing  he  was  an  undischarged 
bankrupt  he  said  they  must  have  known  it  from  seeing  it  in  the 
papers.  The  examination  was  adjourned.  The  following  are 
creditors : — 

£    s.  d. 

Binks,  R.  H.,  Manchester   17  15  0 

Gibbon,  E.,  Salford    23    0  0 

Hockin,  Wilson  &  Co.,  London   19    9  2 

McCausland,  A.,  Manchester    12    0  0 

Manchester  Advance  &  Discount  Bank 

(Limited',  Manchester    30    0  0 

Parkins,  Mrs.  P.,  Salford   275    0  0 

Kusholme  Road  Loan  Association,  Man- 
chester   10   9  6 

Bankers'  claims  ...       ...       ...       ...      15    0  0 

Contingent  liabilities  (not  expected  to 

rank)    44    0  0 

Preferential  creditors   15    2  6 


Be  Peter  Campjiell  Forbes,  Morley,  Chemist. — A  receiving 
order  has  been  made  against  this  debtor. 


©eeos  of  arrangement. 


Blinkhorn,  Mark,  47  Henrietta  Street,  Old  Trafford,  Man- 
chester. Several  applications  were  made  on  October  28  to 
Mr.  Justice  Wright,  in  the  King's  Bench  Division,  for  orders 
upon  trustees  to  file  accounts  of  the  cash  received  and  paid 
by  them  under  deeds  of  arrangement.  In  the  case  of  Mark 
Blinkhorn,  Mr.  Muir  Mackenzie,  on  behalf  of  the  Board  of 
Trade,  stated  that  in  September,  1898,  Mr.  JameB  Edwin 
Winn,  of  39  Higher  Ardvvick,  and  12  Albert  Place,  Longsight, 
Manchester,  dealer  in  drugs,  entered  into  a  deed  of  arrangement 
with  his  creditors,  under  which  Mr.  Blinkhorn  was  appointed 
trustee.  The  latter  was  directed  by  the  Board  of  Trade,  on 
June  27  last,  to  submit  within  seven  days  an  account  of  all 
receipts  and  payments  under  the  deed.  He  had  not  complied 
with  the  direction,  and  the  Court  was  accordingly  moved  to 
order  the  account  to  be  filed  in  four  days.  The  respondent 
did  not  appear  to  oppose  the  application,  which  was  granted 
by  his  Lordship,  with  costs. 

Pennington,  Tbomas  Moscrop,  Herbalist,  20  Agur 
Street,  Bury,  Lanes.  Trustee,  Richard  W.  Wood,  27  Parson's 
Lane,  Bury,  I.A.    Dated,  October  18;  filed,  October  25. 


Liabilities  unsecured,  157?.  16s.  8c?.  ;  estimated  net  assets, 
32?.    The  following  are  amongst  the  creditors  :  — 

£    s.  d. 


Hoyle,  S.  (executors  of),  Bury   

London  &  Provincial  Loan  Company, 
Manchester   

Potter  &  Clarke,  London  

Woolley,  Sons  &  Co.  (Limited),  Man- 
chester   


52  0  0 

15  0  0 

1C  0  0 

27  0  0 


flew  Companies  &  Company  Iftewa. 


Timothy  Hones  &  Co.  (Limited).— Capital  2,000?.,  mil.  shares. 
Objects  :  To  carry  on  in  all  its  branches  the  business  of  tea-dealers, 
provision,  drug,  and  chemical  merchants,  &c.  No  initial  public 
issue.  Table  "  A  "  mainly  applies.  Registered  office,  Woolpack 
Place,  Moor  Street,  Birmingham. 


Stephen  Smith  &  Co  (Limited). — Dividend  warrants 
of  3  per  cent,  on  the  ordinary  shares  of  this  company  for 
the  half  year  ended  September  30  were  posted  on  October  25. 

Progress  Company  (Limited). — A  petition  was  pre- 
sented on  October  21  by  Messrs.  O.  R  Harker,  Stagg  & 
Morgan,  wholesale  druggists,  for  the  winding-up  of  this 
company.  The  hearing  will  take  place  at  the  Birmingham 
County  Court  on  November  14. 

United  Indigo  and  Chemical  Company  (Limited). — 
The  report  of  the  directors  for  the  year  ended  June  30, 
submitted  to  the  meeting  held  in  Manchester  on 
October  31,  states  that  the  date  of  the  meeting  has  been 
delayed  in  consequence  of  the  absence  of  the  chairman 
and  one  of  the  other  directors  in  America,  where  they 
have  been  making  arrangements  for  the  establishment  of  an 
American  branch.  After  providing  for  depreciation  of 
plant  and  machinery,  bad  debts,  directors'  remuneration, 
and  all  other  charges,  there  remains  a  pr<  fit,  including 
the  amount  brought  from  last  year's  account,  of  14  203?. 
Out  of  this  amount  the  dividend  on  the  preference  shares 
has  been  paid,  amounting  to  6,824?.,  leaving  a  balance 
available  for  division  of  7,378?.  This  amount  the  directors 
recommend  should  be  appropriated  in  payment  of  a  divi- 
dend on  the  ordinary  shares  at  the  rate  of  4  per  cent,  per 
annum  (4,550?.),  to  write  off  the  formation  expenses 
(2,342?.)  and  to  carry  to  next  year's  account  486?. 

Super-Aeration  Company,  1901  (Limited).  —  The 
statutory  me  t  ng  of  shareholders  was  held  at  Winchester 
Hors',  L  >nd  >n,  on  October  29.  Mr.  E.  Wolsley,  chairman 
of  the  company,  presided,  and  said  that  since  they  had 
launched  out  into  business  everything  had  gone  on  in  the 
most  satisfactory  manner.  He  also  read  glowing  testimonials 
as  to  the  utility  of  the  "  draught  arm,"  and  said  there  wa<  room 
for  two  or  three  more  companies  such  as  theirs,  and  he  would 
welcome  tbeir  competition.  In  answer  to  several  requests 
he  said  the  patents  o  wned  by  the  company  had  thirteen  years 
yet  to  run.  Within  the  past  three  months  their  output  had 
nearly  doubled.  At  the  Brewer's  Exhibition  alone  500  orders 
were  taken  from  various  classes  of  mineral-water  dealers.  If 
everything  went  well  with  this  company  in  all  probability 
they  would  have  a  big  company  in  Ireland  which  would 
almost  equal  in  success  the  original  London  company,  and 
this  comp  ny  would  receive  a  gojd  share  of  the  profits  of 
that  latest  notation.  Up  to  the  present  1,060  "arms"  had 
been  supplied  in  the  United  Kingdom  ;  he  did  not  think  it 
judicious  to  mention  how  many  of  these  were  fixed  in 
London  alone,  and  they  had  orders  for  200  more.  It  was  on 
the  advice  of  their  solicitor  tbat  the  capital  had  been  split 
up  ;  a  shareholder  who  originally  owned  one  5?.  share  now 
held  five  11.  shares.  There  was  no  motion  before  the 
meeting,  which  here  terminated. 

Olive-growers  to  Organise. — It  is  reported  from  Los 
Angeles  that  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  olive-growers  of 
California  have  united  in  an  attempt  to  obtain  better  prices 
for  their  product.  They  have  appointed  a  committee  to 
devise  a  plan  for  the  organisation  of  all  the  olive-growers  of 
the  State,  first  forming  a  local  organisation.  Specific  laws 
against  tie  adulteration  of  olive  oil  will  be  urged  upon 
the  next  Congress. 


736 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


TO  CORRESPONDENTS  — Please  write  clearly  and  concisely 
on  one  side  of  the  paper  only.  All  communications  should 
be  accompanied  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 
If  queries  are  submitted,  each  should  be  written  on  a  separate 
piece  of  paper.  We  do  not  reply  to  queries  by  post,  and  can 
only  answer  on  subjects  of  general  interest, 


Irish  Pharmaceutical  Council  Election. 

Sir, — As  a  rule  I  am  always  very  loth  to  rush  into  print, 
but  think  it  my  duty,  as  President  of  our  Society,  to  answer 
Mr.  English's  letter  which  appeared  in  your  last  week's 
issue.  Mr.  English,  as  be  states,  was  a  candidate  for  a  seat 
on  our  Council  at  the  late  election,  and  I  regret  very  much 
that  he  has  taken  his  defeat  so  deeply  to  heart  as  to  lead 
him  into  writing  such  a  letter,  the  bad  taste  of  which  is 
much  to  be  pitied.  The  circular  of  which  he  complains  (a 
copy  of  which  I  enclose)  was  sent  out  by  the  Vice-President 
and  myself,  which  we  considered  necessary  (we  having 
nominated  three  of  the  new  members),  in  order  that  the 
members  should  not  think  that  we  desired  in  any  way  to 
oppose  members  seeking  re-election,  or  wished  to  create  a 
contest ;  on  the  contrary,  we  refrained  from  sending  in 
nominations  almost  until  the  time  for  so  doiDg  had  expired, 
in  the  hope  of  others  doiDg  so,  and  it  was  not  till  after  we 
had  forwarded  the  nominations  that  Mr.  English  was 
nominated.  If  this  gentleman  would  only  read  the  circular 
with  an  unbiassed  mind  he  would  see  that  we  did  not 
mention  that  Mr.  J.  Smith  (now  a  member  of  Council)  was 
either  a  representative  of  the  Midlands  or  Cork,  and  I  con- 
sider it  is  quite  immaterial  whether  a  candidate  be  English, 
Scotch,  or  Irish  provided  he  is  willing  to  work  for  the 
welfare  of  the  members  and  society  at  large.  Mr.  English 
complains  that  I  directed  the  circular  from  the  Society's  house, 
67  Lower  Mount  Street.  Of  thisl  am  quite  prepared  to  take  the 
responsibility,  and  think  that  there  is  no  one  be  he  member 
or  licentiate  so  narrow-minded  (except  Mr.  English)  who 
will  say  I  have  for  one  moment  forgotten  so  far  myself  "as  to 
prostitute  my  position  to  become  canvassing-agent."  Mr. 
English  boasts  of  his  not  having  canvassed  a  vote,  but  if 
my  information  is  correct,  and  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  it, 
Mr.  English  himself  sent  his  nomination-paper  to  one  of  our 
members  and  asked  him  to  second  it.  So  much  for  this 
statement.  Neither  is  his  boast  very  complimentary  to  his 
brother  members.  I  would  imagine  that  if  the  position  was 
worth  having  it  was  worth  the  asking.  He  a'so  complains 
that  the  numbers  of  the  votes  were  not  published.  Certainly 
this  was  an  oversight  of  mine  and  of  the  Registrar's,  and 
I  now  do  so,  and  trust  that  the  figures  will  act  as  a  solacj 
to  his  disturbed  feelings.    They  ai'3  as  follows  :— 


Candidates 

Votes 

Mr.  P.  Kelly  

...  83 

Mr.  J.  Smith  

...  79 

Mr.  G.  H.  GrinSley  ... 

...  78 

Mr.  Brown   

...  72 

Mr.  R.  Blair  

...  69 

Mr.  H.  V.  Goldon  ... 

 63 

Mr.  Tate   

...  58 

Mr.  English  

...  45 

Again  he  complains  that  owing  to  the  action  of  a  former 
president  he  resigned  membership.  I  was  curious  to  find 
out  who  was  this  offending  president,  and  in  looking  up  the 
records  of  Mr.  English's  membership  find  he  was  first  elected 
on  November  4  1885.  I  canmt  find  his  name  recorded  as 
a  member  for  the  years  1886  to  1888.  On  September  4, 
1889,  he  was  again  elected  a  member,  and  in  the  following 
month  was  a  candidate  for  Council  honours,  but  was 
defeated.  He  resigned  membership  in  December,  1894 ; 
from  this  date  till  September  of  the  present  year  he  again 
appears  to  have  left  off  membership,  when  he  was  re- 
elected, and  in  October  (this  month)  again  sought  for  a 
seat  on  the  Council,  but  was  again  unsuccessful.  History 
repeats  itself. 

In  conclusion,  I  deeply  deplore  Mr.  English's  closing 


remarks — "  No  Roman  Catholic  need  apply."  Up  to  this  I 
was  not  aware  of  what  religious  persuasion  Mr.  English  was, 
neither  do  I  ask  now  what  it  is ;  but  I  do  wish  to  inform 
him  that  the  first  gentleman  approached  and  pressed  to 
take  office  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  I  aai  very  pleased 
indeei  to  inform  Mr.  English  that  one  of  the  newly  elected 
Councillors  is  also  one,  and  it  is  with  much  pleasure  1 
welcome  him.  Apologising  for  trespassing  so  far  on  your 
valuable  space,  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

Yours  faithfully, 
The  Dalkey  Medical  Hall.  G  D.  Beggs. 

Sir, — In  your  last  issue  a  letter  appears  from  Mr.  English, 
who  was  an  unsuccessful  candidate  at  the  recent  election 
of  seven  members  of  Council.  In  his  letter  Mr.  English 
attempts  to  account  for  this,  his  third  failure,  on  the  grounds 
that  all  the  successful  candidates  were  nominated  by  the 
President  and  myself,  and  that  we  issued  a  circular  from 
67  Lower  Mount  Street.  He  then  proceeds  to  drag  in  both 
the  nationality  and  religious  opinions  of  candidates,  and 
misquotes  the  circular  by  altering  the  punctuation  and  thus 
confusing  the  sense,  and  announces  his  intention  to  resign 
membership,  but  omits  to  state  that  this  will  be  his  third 
resignation  of  the  Society.  For  the  information  of  your 
readers,  I  beg  to  say  that  the  action  taken  by  the  President 
and  myself  in  nominating  three  candidates  was  considered 
by  us  to  be  official  duty  when  we  found  no  nominations 
comiDg  in,  although  the  time  for  lodgiDg  the  same  had 
almost  expired,  and  it  was  neces-ary  by  our  Act  that  the 
vacancies  should  be  filled.  Finding,  however,  that  later 
another  nomination  arrived  (Mr.  English),  we  felt  it  but 
right  that  our  membsrs  should  have  explained  to  them  the 
circumstances  which  induced  our  action,  and  consequently 
we  issued,  in  our  official  capacity  an  explanatory  circular, 
lest  in  the  absence  of  such  it  might  be  thought  by 
any  member  that  we  either  wished  to  contest  the  seats  of 
those  members  who  sought  re-election,  or  that  we  in  any  way 
desired  to  monopolise  the  nominations.  I  have  no  wish  to 
comment  on  Mr.  English's  attempt  to  draw  in  the  subject  of 
religion,  but  as  I  may  now  take  it  from  him  that  he  is  a 
Roman  Catholic,  I  have  every  confidence  in  referring  him  to 
his  fellow  Churchmen  who  have  served,  and  at  present  serve, 
on  the  Council  for  a  complete  refutation  of  his  insinuations. 
Personally  I  hope,  and  firmly  believe,  that  the  day  will  never 
come  when  the  religious  convictions  of  any  candidate  will 
prove  either  a  disability  or  a  sole  qualification  at  any 
election  in  connection  with  our  Society. 

Yours  truly, 

Dublin,  October  29.  J.  I.  Berxard. 

Vice-President  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Ireland. 

Subjoined  is  the  text  of  the  circular  referred  to  :  — 

67  Lower  Mount  Street,  Dublin,  September  26,  1901.  Pharma- 
ceutical Society  of  Ireland.  October  election  of  members  of 
Council.  Dear  Sir, —You  will  see  by  the  voting  paper  sent  you 
by  the  Registrar,  that  we  have  jointly  nominated  three  candidates 
for  the  vacancies  which  have  occurred  through  present  members 
not  seeking  re  election.  "We  wish  to  inform  you  that  these 
nominations  were  only  made  shortly  before  the  time  allowed 
would  have  expired,  in  order  to  see  if  any  other  candidates  were 
nominated.  Subsequently,  however,  another  gentleman  was 
nominated,  of  whose  intended  candidature  we  were  totally  un- 
aware. Feeling  that  Cork,  and  also  the  Midland  Counties, 
should  be  represented,  we  are  very  glad  to  have  the  pleasure  of 
nominating  Mr.  Richard  Blair,  M.P.S.I.,  Cork  ;  Mr.  H.  V.  Goldon, 
M.P.S.I.,  Birr;  and  Mr.  John  Smith,  M.P  S.I.,  Terenure;  all  of 
whom  we  believe  would  be  most  useful  members,  and  we  there- 
fore strongly  recommend  them  to  you.  Trusting  our  action  may 
receive  your  endorsement  and  support,  we  are,  yours  obediently, 
G.  D.  Beggs  (President),  J.  I.  Bernard  (Vice-President). 

SIR,— Referring  to  Mr.  English's  letter  in  your  issue  of 
October  26,  I  would  point  out  that  one  of  the  three  suc- 
cessful candidates  at  the  recent  election  is  a  Roman  Catholic. 
So  far  as  I  am  aware,  a  candidate's  religion  has  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  the  result.  As  regards  the  circular 
referred  to,  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  its  issue,  but  having 
been  elected  to  the  Council  I  shall  endeavour  to  do  my  best 
for  the  good  of  pharmacy,  independent  of  any  clique,  if 
such  exist.  Yours  truly, 

Dublin,  October  28.  John  Smith. 

Sir, — Adverting  to  Mr.  English's  letter  in  your  last  issue 
re  the  recent  election  of  Councillors  at  the  annual  meeting 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


737 


of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Ireland,  when  the  present 
year  expires  I  also  intend  resigning  membership  of  the 
Society.  There  was  no  necessity  for  such  sub  rosa  work  in 
the  election  of  the  new  Councillors.  Why  the  voting  was 
not  published  is  a  mystery  to  me  ;  I  expected  to  find  it  in 
the  report  of  the  annual  meeting  as  it  appeared  in  the 
official  journal.  Although  I  am  at  one  with  Mr.  English  in 
objecting  to  the  Society's  modus  operandi,  yet  I  am  sorry  to 
see  him  attack,  in  a  left-handed  fashion,  a  brother  suburban 
chemist  who  also  happened  to  be  a  candidate  at  the  late 
election.  I  am  convinced,  if  the  voting-list  were  published, 
Mr.  Smith's  name  would  stand  very  high,  if  not,  indeed,  at 
the  top  of  the  poll.  Yours  truly, 

Bslfast,  October  28.  Samuel  Hogg,  L  P.S.I. 

Saffron  in  Burma. 

Sib, — My  attention  has  been  drawn  to  a  paragraph  under 
"  Produce  Notes  "  in  your  issue  of  September  21  (page  506) 
regarding  the  use  and  trade  of  saffron  in  Burma.  I  am 
inclined  to  regard  a  confusion  in  the  statement  between 
saffron  and  the  more  commonly  employed  turmeric-root. 
The  vernacular  names  for  saffron  are  often  applied  to 
turmeric  by  natives  of  Southern  India,  and  even  merchants 
in  the  country  use  the  English  terms  indiscriminately.  The 
present  Persian  name  for  turmeric  is  Zard-chubah,  or 
"  stick-saffron,"  which  indicates  a  close  resemblance  between 
the  two  spices. 

True  turmeric  (Curcuma  longa)  is  largely  cultivated  in 
India,  especially  in  Madras,  whence  it  is  exported  to  Burma 
and  other  Eastern  countries;  but  saffron  (Croons  sativus) 
would  have  a  very  limited  sale  compared  with  turmeric. 
The  only  district  in  India  in  which  saffron  is  cultivated  to 
any  extent  is  Kashmir,  and  it  is  mainly  exported  to  the 
Punjab,  where  it  is  used  largely  as  a  dye.  Burma  at  present 
is  not  known  as  a  field  for  saffron-growing,  and  the  large 
quantity  of  60,000  viss,  which  is  equivalent  to  a  little  over 
5  tons,  is  an  exceptional  outturn  for  a  product  consisting  of 
the  styles  and  stigmas  of  the  flowers,  while  such  a  harvest 
■would  be  nothing  out  of  the  way  if  turmeric  were  referred 
to.  The  price  of  the  article — about  lr.  per  lb. — is  also 
nearer  the  market  value  of  turmeric  than  it  is  of  saffron. 

David  Hooper. 

Indian  Museum,  Calcutta,  October  10. 

Tarweed  not  a  New  Thing. 

SIR, — In  the  Pharmaceutical  lira  of  October  17  there 
appears  the  following  paragraph  : — 

Tarweed  is  attaining  note  as  one  of  California's  valuable 
products.  Its  scientific  name  is  Grindelia  robusta.  J.  W. 
Thompson,  of  College  City,  Cal.,  recently  shipped  75  bales  of 
250  lbs.  each  to  an  Eastern  patent-medicina  firm  to  be  manu- 
factured into  cough-medicine.  Tarweed  has  hitherto  been 
considered  a  great  nuisance  by  farmers. 

Permit  us  to  inform  your  readers  that  we  introduced  Grin- 
delia robusta  to  the  profession  many  years  ago,  and  have 
ever  since  marketed  a  fluid  extract ;  also  a  fluid-extract 
co.,  a  pill,  an  elixir,  and  gljcerole  yerbine  co.  containing 
it.  Very  truly  yours, 

111  Queen  Victoria  Street,  E.C.,     Parke,  Davis  &  Co. 
October  28. 

Oil-of-Lemon  Aldehydes. 

Sir, — In  your  issue  of  October  12  there  is  a  notice  of  our 
treatise,  "  Uber  Neue  Citronaldehyde,"  recently  published  in 
the  "  Berichte  "  (1901,  page  2809).  In  this  notice,  Burgess's 
discovery  and  ours  of  a  new  aldehyde  in  oil  of  lemon  are  so 
brought  together  as  to  give  the  impression  that  it  was  not 
till  after  we  had  become  acquainted  with  Burgess's  work, 
and  with  the  help  of  his  results,  that  we  completed  or  even 
commenced  our  investigations  in  the  same  field.  This  is  not 
the  case.  We  bad  completely  finished  our  observations  on 
June  21,  and  Burge-s's  work  first  came  to  our  knowledge  on 
July  13  through  the  Chemiker  Zeitung,  No.  56.  The  original 
treatise  in  the  "Proceedings  of  the  Chemical  Society  "  we 
read  later.  We  can  furnish  proof  that  at  our  suggestion 
Messrs.  Heine  &  Co.  informed  their  patent  agent  of  the  dis- 
covery of  octyl-  and  nonyl-aldehydes  in  oil  of  lemon.  The 
publication  of  Burgess's  work  did  not,  therefore,  induce  us  to 
make  further  investigations,  but  to  make  an  early  pre- 


liminary publication  of  our  own  discovery.  The  priority  of 
the  discovery  of  a  new  aldehyde  differing  from  citral  belongs 
to  Mr.  Burgess;  the  priority  of  the  discovery  of  octyl-  and 
nonyl-aldehydes  belongs,  however,  exclusively  to  us.  The 
reason  of  our  work  not  being  published  until  about  seven 
weeks  later  (which,  perhaps,  led  your  reporter  to  the  suppo- 
sition that  we  had  taken  up  the  subject  treated  by  Burgess 
after  him)  is  that  the  Berichte  dated  July  20  was  not  pub- 
lished until  September  28.  We  also  desire  to  call  attention 
to  the  last  sentence  in  your  article,  where  it  is  said : — 

They  also  consider  that  the  fluorescent  compound  observed  in 
the  higher  boiling  fractions  of  the  oxygenated  constituents  of  the 
oil  may  be  methylanthranilate,  discovered  in  oil  of  lemon  by  Mr. 
E.  J.  Parry  (C.  &  D.,  June  16,  1900,  page  993),  the  existence  of 
which  in  lemon  oil  was  said  by  Schimmel  &  Co.  to  be  "im- 
probable," but  is  now  confirmed  by  Heine  &  Co.'s  chemists. 

We  have  made  no  examination  into  the  nature  of  the 
fluorescent  substance,  but  have  only  expressed  a  supposition 
in  regard  to  it.  Yours  faithfully, 

Dr.  H.  von  Soden. 

Leipzig.  F.  Rojahn. 

Face  Prices  and  Fair  Profit. 

Sir, — The  question  of  extreme  cutting  has  been  so 
ventilated  through  the  columns  of  your  journal  that  there 
might  seem  little  more  to  say  on  the  matter,  yet  when  I  find 
a  drug-store  not  far  from  me  offering  Scott's  emulsion  at 
9^d.,  Is.  6§d,  and  2s.  ll^d  per  bottle,  it  certainly  seems  time 
that  we  chemists  should  take  some  definite  action,  or  else 
stand  aside,  to  see  our  trade  drift  into  other  channels.  The 
question  is,  What  can  we  do  ?  and  this  I  venture  to  say  is 
answered  by  another.  Has  not  the  training  and  education 
necessary  for  us  to  enter  this  business  (unless  we  make 
ourselves  a  limited  company)  qualified  us  for  something 
higher  than  to  be  the  depot  of  every  nostrum,  many  of  which 
are  introduced  by  persons  who  have  no  real  knowledge  of 
medicine  or  therapeutics  ?  Let  the  drug-stores,  grocers, 
oilmen,  and  general  hucksters  have  the  ordinary  quack 
remedies,  and,  in  wishing  them  farewell,  we  can  leave  them 
to  a  happy,  if  a  short,  life ;  then  let  our  action  be  to  wean 
the  public  from  the  belief  in  all  the  pre'ty  little  garbled 
tales  we  so  often  see  in  print,  and  gradually  instruct  them  in 
the  truth  that  a  chemist  is  after  all  not  incapable  of 
making  an  efficient  aperient-pill  or  a  bottle  of  cod-iiver  oil 
emulsion.  We  are  not  called  to  work  only  from  self-interest, 
and,  unless  we  can  obtain  the  confidence  of  the  public,  we 
had  better  put  up  our  shutters  and  turn  our  attention  to  some 
more  worthy  object. 

-  Yours  faithfully, 
Dulwich,  October  29.  T.  E.  Rubbra. 

Sir, — As  you  have  initiated  a  discussion  on  the  profit  on 
proprietary  articles,  may  we  venture  to  point  out  to  Messrs. 
Burroughs  Wellcome  &  Co.,  through  your  columns,  that  the 
ordinary  retail  chemist  makes  a  batter  profit  retailing  Pears' 
soap  than  selling  their  articles  at  list-prices?  No  chemist 
thinks  of  quoting  their  goods  at  more  than  their  ordinary 
list- figures,  and  he  is  allowed  a  discount  of  15  per  cent.,  less 
carriage,  to  serpe  as  his  profit.  Now  by  a  recent  arrange- 
ment Messrs.  Pears  pay  carriage  and  allow  a  discount  of 
20  per  cent.  Hence  their  soap  becomes  a  much  more  profit- 
able article  to  handle  than  tabloids,  and  there  is  no  need  to 
have  a  qualified  person  to  retail  it.  Again,  Messrs. 
Oppenheimer's  specialities  must  frequently  b 3  retailed  at  a 
list-piice  which  leaves  the  retailer  a  profit  of  7|  per  cent., 
even  thoogh  he  buys  direct.  Is  this  calculated  to  promote 
good  feeling?  We  know  that  a  journal  like  yours  is 
naturally  adverse  to  publishing  statements  that  might  serve 
to  reflect  on  large  advertisers  ;  but  surely  it  is  wiser  to  let 
discontent  find  expression,  that  it  may  be  alleviated,  rather 
than  try  to  suppress  it,  and  so  cause  it  to  find  expression 
otherwise.  Yours  truly, 

Dublin,  October  28.  J.  Leonard  &  Co. 

Chemist  (48/16)  writes  in  the  same  strain  as  Messr?. 
Leonard  &  Co  ,  but  with  special  reference  to  the  "  Pirates' " 
advertisement  in  last  week's  issue,  to  which  he  replies  that 
the  profits  on  tablets  are  so  much  better  than  the  profits  on 
tabloids  that  "  the  retailer  cannot  be  blamed  for  selling  the 
former  whenever  he  has  the  opportunity." 


738 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


Mr.  Morgan  James's  Boycott  Scheme. 

Sir, — The  weakness  of  Mr  James's  scheme  is  shown  by  a 
few  words  towards  the  end  of  his  letter.  He  admits  that 
all  chemists  in  a  town  must  be  of  one  mind.  Can  he  point 
out  a  single  town  of  a  fair  sizs  where  such  a  state  of  affairs 
exists?  No,  sir,  neither  this  scheme  nor  the  P. AT. A.  (of 
which  I  am  a  member)  will  bring  proprietors  to  their 
senses.  The  chemist  individually  must  work  to  this  end. 
Let  him  cut  down  all  proprietaries  to  actual  cost,  and  then 
push  a  good  line  of  preparations  of  his  own,  and  that  on  the 
lines  the  cutters  have  kindly  shown  us.  Madame  Duval's 
hair-restorer  sounds  so  much  better  than,  and  shows  dis- 
interestedness as  compared  with,  Jones's  hair-restorer.  If 
50  per  cent,  of  the  chemists  of  the  country  would  rouse 
themselves  out  of  their  state  of  torpor  and  adopt  the  above 
modus  operandi,  cut  pa'ents  as  we  know  them  to-day  would 
be  non  sunt  in  a  couple  of  years.  It  is  somewhat  painful  to 
have  to  say  it,  but  the  chemists  of  the  past  twenty  years 
are  largely  responsible  for  the  present  state  of  affairs.  Had 
they  been  alert  and  not  so  ultra-conservative,  the  present 
Pharmacy  Bill  would  hardly  have  been  necessary.  We 
should  not  need  to  be  coddled  like  so  many  spoilt  children. 
Ever-varying  conditions  require  ever-varying  methods,  and 
this  they  failed,  and,  I  am  afraid,  still  fail,  to  recognise. 
Eecently,  being  temporarily  out  of  a  well-known  proprietary 
soap,  I  went  into  two  chemists  in  main  thoroughfares  of  a 
town  of  over  a  quarter-million  inhabitants,  and  "  neither  of 
them  had  a  single  tablet  "  ;  "  We  don't  stock,"  tee.,  was  what 
they  said.  Is  this  the  way  to  stay  the  incursions  of  the  up- 
to-date  cutter  ?  I  wot  not.  "  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?'' 
No ;  but  I  personally  should  like  to  see  brother  chemist 
doing  more  of  the  trade  which  justly  belongs  to  him  as  a 
duly  qualified  chemist  and  druggist  of  Great  Britain. 

Yours  faithfully, 
October  26.  Mutarian.  (45/62.) 

Mr.  Morgan  W.  James,  of  Llanelly,  again  writes  to  U3  on 
this  subject  stating  what  he  will  do  with  the  postcards 
which  he  may  receive  in  support  of  his  £jcheme.  He  suggests 
that  Chemists'  County  Trade  Associations  should  be  formed 
in  every  county  town  through  the  initiative  of  the  local 
secretaries  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  and  the  postcards 
will  be  handed  over  to  the  secretaries  to  be  dealt  with. 

The  Liverpool  Meeting. 

A  correspondent,  writing  with  reference  to  "  Xrayser's  " 
remarks  as  to  the  attendance  at  the  Conference  of  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society  at  Liverpool,  says: — "The  place 
of  meeting  was  the  Royal  Institute,  Liverpool.  The  large 
hall  was  engaged,  and  a  big  muster  anticipated,  as  over 
eight  hundred  invitations  had  been  issued,  and  under  twenty 
replies  of  inability  to  attend  were  received.  At  the  hour 
for  the  commencement  of  the  proceedings  six  awaited  the 
advent  of  the  officials  and  local  secretaries,  who  were 
holding  an  earlier  meeting  in  another  part  of  the  building. 
After  the  commencement  of  the  proceedings  a  few  others 
straggled  in,  certainly  not  more  than  a  dozen.  There  also 
arrived  in  a  body  (amid  applause)  what  appeared,  from  age, 
&c,  to  be  students  from  a  local  college,  who  numbered 
perhaps  a  score,  and  who  voted  in  favour  of  the  Bill.  At  no 
time  was  there  more  than  between  fifty  and  sixty  (including 
the  platform)  present,  and  the  meeting  was  anything  but 
representative  of  the  bulk  of  the  chemists  of  Liverpool,  and, 
in  spite  of  what  was  said  at  the  meeting,  much  disappoint- 
ment was  felt  at  the  very  small  attendance." 

Sir, — Regarding  the  Conference  meeting  in  Liverpool,  on 
which  "  Xrayser  "  commented  in  your  last  issue,  the  truth  is 
this  :  the  meeting  was  very  badly  attended  by  the  chemists 
of  the  district,  and  had  it  not  been  that  the  students  from 
the  local  school  mustered  in  strong  force  the  benches  would 
have  been  but  sparsely  occupied.  The  Liverpool  chemists 
appear  to  feel  strongly  that  the  Society  is  governed  by  the 
office,  where  they  work  to  a  set  of  by-laws  as  a  mechanician 
works  to  a  series  of  patterns,  and  that  however  capable  a 
councillor  may  be,  and  they  recognise  that  many  are,  any 
initiative  is  killed  in  this  way,  so  that  if  a  councillor  has  to 
learn  his  business  by  careful  tuition  at  the  Square,  as  it 
appears  that  Mr.  Lord  Gifford  is  now  doing,  it  is  scarcely 
worth  their  while  to  go  to  a  meeting  to  hear  office-echoes.  At 
this  meeting,  certainly,  Mr.  Young  had  the  temerity  to 


object  to  be  heckled  for  office  shortcomings,  which  un 
questionably  was  an  interesting  variation  from  the  usual  pro- 
ceedings at  these  meetings,  and  it  would  be  well  if  other 
councillors  assumed  a  like  independent  position. 

I  was  present  on  Saturday  last  at  the  opening  of  the  local 
technological  institution  by  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  and  I 
was  struck  by  the  ingenuity  expressed  by  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Government  in  blaming  the  lack  of  initiative 
on  the  part  of  middle-class  people  for  the  prevailing  con- 
dition of  secondary  education  in  this  country,  and  I  was 
forcibly  reminded  of  what  Bloomsbury  Square  has  b^en 
drumming  into  us  for  many  years — viz.,  "  Tell  us  what  you 
want,  that  we  may  endeavour  to  obtain  it  for  you."  When 
the  chemists  have  exerted  themselves  so  far  as  to  point 
out  a  policy,  they  have  constructed  a  draft  Bill  that  every 
member  of  the  Council  knows  is  absurd,  and  this  they  are 
still  prepared  to  nurse  and  to  exhibit  for  some  time,  which 
is  the  object,  I  take  it,  of  these  local  conferences.  Many  local 
men  have  gone  so  far  as  to  definitely  state  t  h  at  it  was  a  mis  ■  ake 
to  have  the  working  of  the  Pharmacy  Act  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  ;  that  if  it  had  been  delegated 
to  the  police  it  would  only  have  brought  home  much  earlier 
to  pharmacists  the  folly  of  leaving  branch-shops  in  the 
hands  of  unqualified  men;  that  up  to  the  time  of  the 
Wheeldon  case,  and  then  only  under  compulsion,  the  Society 
was  afraid  to  institute  proceedings  against  unqualified 
managers  and  sellers  of  poisons  for  fear  of  creating  ene  nies 
among  their  own  subscribers,  and  thai  this  to  a  great  extent 
had  accounted  for  the  competition  on  the  part  of  unqualified 
traders  at  present  experienced. 

The  Dake  of  Devonshire  said  at  the  meeting  referred  to 
that  the  Government  vessel  was  waiting  for  the  breeze,  the 
initiative  from  the  people  for  secondary  education.  The 
Bishop  of  Liverpool,  in  reply,  suggested  that  the  Govern- 
ment should  put  on  a  steamer  instead  of  a  sailing-vessel, 
and  give  the  lead  themselves.  I  think  this  advice  might  be 
given  with  advantage  to  the  councillors  of  the  Pharma- 
ceutical Society.  This  want  of  lead  and  lethargy  on  their 
part  during  the  past  has  resulted  in  indifference  to  matters 
pharmaceutical,  as  illustrated  in  the  Liverpool  meeting,  and 
many  chemists  in  th  s  district  honestly  believe  that  nothing 
short  of  a  complete  revolution  will  disturb  the  oligarchy  at 
Bloomsbury  Square  which  rule  our  destinies. 

Yours  truly, 

Mersiana.  (46/90.) 

Sale  of  Poisons  by  Auction. 

Sir. — "  Buyer  of  the  Poisons,"  as  you  note,  is  in  a  condi- 
tion of  confusion  in  regard  to  the  provisions  of  the  Phar- 
macy Acts,  and  falls  into  several  errors.  He  speaks  of 
"  the  fact  of  an  auctioneer  disposing  of  poisons  to  an 
assembly  of  retail  chemists."  The  report  to  which  I  re- 
ferred says  "  the  auctioneer  appealed  to  chemists,  shop- 
keepers, and  others  to  buy,"  and  a  lady,  an  ironmonger,  and 
a  broker  are  specially  mentioned  as  purchasers.  It  is 
evident  that  the  auction  was  a  free,  general  sale  in  an  open 
shop  to  any  purchaser,  and  therefore  strictly  of  the  nature 
of  a  sale  by  retail.  All  auction  sales  are  of  a  retail  nature, 
unless  specially  restricted  by  the  conditions  of  sale  to  retail 
dealers — as,  for  instance,  in  certain  fish,  fruit,  and  meat 
sales — when  the  rule  is  made  that  only  bids  from  retailers 
will  be  accepted.  His  statement  that  wholesale  transactions 
are  outside  the  regulations  of  the  Pharmacy  Acts  is  not 
accurate.  The  Act  says  "  it  shall  be  unlawful  to  sell  any 
poison,  either  by  wholesale  or  retail,"  unless  c;rtain  regula- 
tions are  complied  with.  You  also  rightly  point  out  that 
the  Act  defines  "wholesale"  transactions.  "Sales  by 
wholesale  to  retail  dealers  "  are  exempt.  Who  is  a  retail 
dealer  in  poisons?  Surely,  only  such  as  are  registered 
under  the  Act ;  and  an  auctioneer,  unless  he  be  a  registered 
chemist,  does  not  come  within  this  category.  An  auctioneer's 
licence,  it  may  be  thought,  gives  him  the  right  to  sell 
anything  and  everything,  but  it  cannot  go  behind  an  Act  of 
Parliament.  He  cannot,  on  the  strength  of  his  licence,  sell 
excisable  liquors  without  possessing  the  licence  as  a  dealer 
in  spirits.  No  more,  do  I  think,  can  he  legally  sell  scheduled 
poisons.  I  am  glad  to  know  that  Mr.  Bremridge  was  not 
present,  but  would  have  expected  that  even  a  local  secretary 
— a  registered  man — would  have  entered  a  protest.  Is  it 
not  the  case  that  the  Council  some  time  back  said  that  they 
expected  divisional  secretaries  to  report  infringements  of 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


739 


the  Pharmacy  Acts  occurring  in  their  districts  1  The  fact 
that  anyone  at  this  sale  could  have  purchased,  for  a  few 
pence,  fifty-two  poisons  (including  strychnine,  morphine, 
potassium  cyanide,  and  hydrocyanic  acid)  is  such  a  grave 
public  danger — the  very  evil  the  Act  was  intended  to  strike 
at — the  unrestricted  distribution  of  dangerous  poisons.  I 
still  think  that  a  protest  should  have  been  made  by  the 
chemists  present,  and,  if  such  proved  futile,  I  would  be 
even  more  Astounded.  (49/10.) 


Legal  Queriese 

Before  sending  in  a  query  for  reply  in  this  section  see  if  the 
subject  is  not  dealt  with  in  "  The  Chemists'  and  Druggists' 
Diary,"  1900,  pages  212-226,  and  pages  259-262. 


39/7.  Galen. — We  take  it  that  the  trade-mark  of  the  dis- 
infecting-powder  is  not  registered  in  the  medicine  class,  and 
if  not  your  registration  of  a  similar  title  for  a  medicine 
in  the  medicine  class  is  not  likely  to  be  successfully  opposed. 
We  cannot,  of  course,  say  whether  opposition  would  be  taken 
or  not. 

38/52.  Pall  Mall  puts  this  question :  "  A.  was  an  assistant 
with  B.  on  usual  terms.  A.  fell  ill.  B.  told  him  to  go  home 
to  be  nursed  When  A.  got  home  the  doctor  said  his 
illness  would  last  two  or  three  months,  so  A.  sent  B.  a 
month's  notice  to  (leave.  Is  B.  liable  for  a  month's  money  ? ' 
[Yes.] 

39/64.  Hamler  Court. — The  fact  that  the  Board  of  Inland 
Revenue  has  permitted  methylated  spirit  to  be  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  soap  liniment  is  too  generally  construed  into 
complete  authority  to  sell  such  liniment.  The  Board  of 
Inland  Revenue  does  not  object  to  the  sale,  but  it  has  no 
authority  under  the  Sale  of  Food  and  Drugs  Acts,  so  that 
when  retailers  sell  methylated  soap  liniment  they  should  be 
careful  to  label  it  "  Methylated,"  and  explain  the  fact  to 
customers.  However,  few  ever  ask  for  soap  liniment,  but 
for  op  ideldoc,  and  there  is  no  need  for  an  explanation  in 
the  latter  case. 

40/23.  W.  S—  The  Welsbach  Company  have  patent- 
rights,  and  if  you  are  using  mantles  which  are  an  infringe- 
ment thereof  they  can  stop  such  use.  They  do  not  seek 
to  compel  you  to  use  their  mantles  but  to  desist  from  further 
infringement  of  their  patent-rights.  It  is  for  you  to  assure 
yourself  that  the  mantles  which  you  use  are  made  under  a 
valid  patent. 

45/35.  W.  D. — Geographical  names  are  not  registered  as 
trade -marks 

44/24.  D.  J.  T. — It  is  legal  to  sell  chemicals  for  the  manu- 
facture of  fireworks,  but  illegal  to  mix  them  without  a 
licence. 

45/25.  R.  H. — You  omit  the  most  important  fact  in  the 
statement  as  to  A's  purchase  of  B's  gas-fittings — viz.,  con- 
ditions of  the  purchase.  We  presume,  however,  that  on  B 
vacating  the  house  he  was  to  leave  certain  fittings,  for 
which  A  was  to  pay  him  5Z.  On  entering  the  house  A  finds 
part  of  the  fittings  broken.  He  can  deduct  for  this  part  or 
recover,  especially  if  he  can  prove  that  B's  agent  (the 
carrier)  broke  it,  It  is  not  clear,  owing  to  your  incomplete 
statement,  that  the  fittings  were  broken  while  they  were  in 
B  s  possession  ;  but  if  so,  B  should  rely  on  his  agent's  conduct. 

47/19.  W.  A.  H. — If  the  lozenges  contain  chlorodyne, 
they  cannot  be  sold  by  any  other  than  registered  chemists 
and  druggists. 

46/73.  Ung. — You  will  find  the  official  list  of  poisons  in 
our  issue  of  June  30,  1901. 

47/39.  Retailer. — It  is  not  necessary  to  label  imported 
honey  "Foreign,"  but  it  must  not  be  called  "English." 

46/23.  M.  P.  8. — The  use  of  a  trade-mark  in  association 
with  the  name  of  a  remedy  for  an  ailment  renders  it  liable 
to  stamp-duty.  Your  label  is  on  the  border-line,  and  we 
think  you  should  send  a  sample  of  the  article,  with  two 
labels,  to  the  Board  of  Inland  Revenue  for  their  opinion. 


48/9.  Representative  (Ireland)  puts  the  following 
questions :  "  Can  I  as  representative  of  next-of-kin  appoint 
a  manager  to  take  over  the  business  of  a  deceased  pharma- 
ceutical chemist  1 "  [Only  as  executor,  administrator,  or 
trustee.  The  business  must  remain  in  trust  for  the  benefit 
of  the  heir  or  heirs.]  "  Can  such  manager  employ  an 
apprentice  whose  apprenticeship  will  be  recognised  by  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Ireland?"  [Yes.]  "  If  the  business 
were  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  a  limited  company,  would 
the  manager  (an  L.P.S.I  )  have  power  to  train  apprentices 
with  the  approval  of  the  P.S.I.  ?  "  [The  manager's  apprentice 
would  be  admitted  to  the  examination,  but  not  the 
company's.] 


Miscellaneous  Inquiries. 

We  endeavour  to  reply  promptly  and  practically  to  trade  ques- 
tions of  eeneral  interest,  but  cannot  guarantee  insertion  of 
replies  on  a  particular  date,  nor  can  we  repeat  information 
given  during  the  past  twelve  months. 


26/50.  Ionone. — Dyeing  Billiard-balls.  —  Your  failure 
with  aniline  dyes  is  perhaps  due  to  the  fact  that  you  had 
not  freed  the  balls  from  all  trace  of  grease.  The  method  is 
given  in  detail  in  "  Pharmaceutical  Formulas,"  page  415. 

25/68.    A.  L  —  Pig-powders  :  — 

Black  antimony    4  oz. 

Black  sulphur    6  oz. 

Oxide  of  iron    2  oz. 

Powdered  liquorice   8  oz. 

Powdered  fenugreek    8  oz. 

Mix  well  and  weigh  into  J-oz.  packets.  The  daily  dose  is  the 
contents  of  one  packet. 

32/39.  Reldaw  writes  that  a  customer  of  his,  a  dog-fancier 
asks  what  is  given  to  bitches  to  bring  them  in  season,  the 
idea  being  to  have  pups  ready  by  a  certain  time  for  show- 
purposes.  There  are  all  sorts  of  theories  and  "  exuberant 
fancies"  among  dog-breeders  as  to  this  matter,  but  the 
physiology  of  the  thing  was  long  since  settled  by  nature.  Ia 
your  busiijess  capacity  you  must  be  aware  of  the  drugs  em- 
ployed for  excitation  of  the  generative  organs,  and  it  is  to 
these  the  fancier  resorts.  He  sometimes  establishes  a  uterine 
excitement  simulating  cestrum,  and  attractive  to  the  other 
sex,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  conception  and  fruition  at  full  time 
has  ever  resulted  from  such  artificial  means. 

40/26.  Glycerin. — You  will  find  all  information  regarding 
the  formation  of  limited  companies  in  The  Chemists'  and 
Druggists'  Diary. 

30/51.  E.  D. — Sea-salt.  —  The  following  analysis  of  the 
water  of  the  English  Channel  will  enable  you  to  devise  a 
formula  for  artificial  sea-salt : — 


Sodium  chloride 
Potassium  chloride  ... 
Magnesium  chloride 
Magnesium  bromide 
Magnesium  sulphate 
Calcium  sulphate  ... 
Calcium  carbonate  ... 
Water... 


.  27-059  gr. 
.  0-7665  gr. 
.  3-667  gr. 
.  0-029  gr. 
.  2-296  gr. 
.  1-407  gr. 
.  0  033  gr. 
.  964-744  gr. 

The  proportion  of  salt  in  sea-water  is  greater  at  a  distance 
from  land. 

21/36.  Radix. — A  General  Veterinary  Lotion  for  cracked 
hoofs,  sore  backs,  shoulders,  and  wounds,  is  made  by  dis- 
solving I  oz.  each  of  zinc  sulphate  and  lead  acetate  in  a  pint 
of  water  suitably  coloured.  For  cuts  and  wounds  the  lotion 
should  be  directed  to  be  diluted. 

25/69.  E.  H.  R.— Nursery  Hair-lotion.—  From  your 
description  we  should  say  the  lotion  you  refer  to  was  made 
from  a  similar  formula  to  that  published  in  the  C.  <%•  Z>., 
March  23,  1901,  page  494.  That  recipe  yields  an  effectual 
lotion. 

21/50.  Jean. — Liquid  Sulphur  for  vapour-baths.  See 
C.  $  D.,  January  5,  1901,  page  32  (under  the  name  liq.  calcis 
hydrosulph.),  or  November  17,  1900,  page  810. 


740 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


27/63.  Jumbo.  —  Quinine  Pessaries  are  made  with 
quinine  hydrochloridum  BP.,  the  dosage  of  quinine  for 
leucorrhcei  being  from  3  to  5  gr. 

22/29.  W.  J.  D. — (1)  Your  first  query  was  replied  to  in 
the  G.  $  B.,  October  12,  p.  623.  (2)  A  solution  of  caustic 
soda  is  best  for  removing  paint  from  cement. 

26/52.  Soapy. — Books  on  S  5ap. making.  —  Will  you 
please  refer  to  C.  Sf  B.,  March  23,  1901,  page  494,  and 
April  20, 1901,  page  630  ?  We  cannot  repeat  the  information 
at  present. 

31/40.  Herring. — Essence  of  Herring  for  rheumatism  is 
solution  of  trimetbylamine.  The  solution  acts  as  an  irritant 
when  locally  applied,  and  was  proposed  some  fifty  years  ago 
as  a  specific  for  rheumatism  when  given  internally.  The 
dose  is  20  to  60  minims  of  the  20-per-cent.  solution,  well 
diluted,  every  two  or  three  hours. 

30/37.  J.  W.  C. — Clearing  Peppermint-cordial. — If  you 
shake  the  cordial  with  a  small  proportion  of  kaolin  or 
kieselguhr,  and  allow  it  to  settle,  there  will  be  no  necessity 
to  filter. 

16/54.  W.  S. — Hendering  Cotton-belting  Non-inflam- 
mable.— This  should  be  saturated  with  sodium  tungstate, 
but  in  the  case  of  the  sample  you  send  it  would  best  be  done, 
owing  to  its  close  texture,  during  manufacture. 

20/17.  Francisco  (Barcelona).  —  Hydraulic  Cement. — 
The  property  of  setting  under  water  which  some  cements 
possess  is  due  to  the  use  of  a  natural  product,  such  as  argil- 
laceous limestone,  or  is  artificially  brought  about  by  burning 
a  mixture  of  chalk  or  "  fat  "  lime  with  clay.  The  silicates 
are  contained  in  the  clay,  and  are  not  introduced  as  silicate 
of  potash  or  soda.  We  may  mention,  however,  that  Laudrin 
applies  the  term  "hydraulic  silica  "to  silica  precipitated 
from  potassium  silicate  and  afterwards  well  washed  and 
ignited  at  a  dull-red  heat.  This,  when  mixed  with  lime, 
sets  under  water. 

10/13.  W.  H.  H.— Black  for  Lantern-slides.— Photo- 
graphic black  varnish  (for  formula  see  Diary)  is  often  used 
for  blackening  lantern-slides,  but  the  best  way  in  our 
experience  is  to  thinly  coat  the  glass  with  wax  (by  rubbing  a 
piece  of  wax  on  a  hot  slide),  and  then  smoke  it  with 
burning  camphor.  Finer  lines  can  be  drawn  on  such  a 
prepared  slide  (using  a  needle)  than  when  black  varnish  is 
used. 

43/42.  Korn  Kure ;  41/46,  Boonie. — We  require  some  in- 
formation about  samples  submitted  to  us  for  analysis,  so 
that  we  can  judge  whether  the  analysis  would  be  of  general 
interest. 

44/25.  W.  G.  B. — If  you  have  any  ideas  on  the  subject, 
send  them  in  to  us,  and  we  shall  pay  for  them  if  used. 

40/9.  E.  E.  M. — Dried  egg-albumin  is  soluble  in  water, 
but  does  not  dissolve  freely  ;  it  dissolves  easily,  however,  if 
the  water  contains  an  alkaline  salt.  The  latter  method  may 
suit  jour  purpose. 

14/42.  Emulsion. — We  cannot  suggest  a  suitable  cheap 
preparation  for  imitating  cod-liver-oil  emulsion  for  window- 
dummies.    Better  show  wrapped  dummies. 


Information  Wanted. 

Postcard  replies  to  any  ot  the  subjoined  inquiries  will 
be  esteemed. 


41/53.  What  is  volasem  1 

43/13.  Makers  of  creol  or  kreol. 

43/27  Makers  of  the  tubular  sanitary  towel. 

43/66.  Makers  of  Liebig's  wine  of  phosphates. 

47/48.  Makers  of  tin  clips  for  mounting  soothers. 

45/24.  Makers  of  Id  camera  and  Id.  packets  of  s  ;nsitised 
paper. 


Notices  of  forthcoming  meetings  are  inserted  in  this  section 
free  of  c'.iarga.  Secretaries  should  send  such  notices  to 
the  Editor  of  "The  Chemist  and  Druggist, "  42  Cannon 
Street,  Lonion,  B.C.,  so  that  they  mxy  be  reeeived  not 
later  than  Wednesday  of  the  week  of  publication  ;  if 
later,  by  telegram  to  "Chemicus  London." 


Monday,  November  4. 

Society  of  Chemical  Industry  (London  Section),  Burlington 
House,  Piccadilly,  W.,  at  8  p.m.  Professor  W.  Ramsay, 
F.R.S.,  on  "  The  Rapid  and  Approximate  Estimation  of  Free 
Oxygen  in  Sewage  Effluents  and  Waters  " ;  Mr.  Watson 
Smith  on  "  Phthalic  Glyceride,"  and  Mr.  A.  J.  Smith,  "  Notes 
on  the  Manufacture  of  Varnish  by  the  Pressure  Process." 

Tuesday,  November  5. 

Bradford  and  District  Chemists'  Association.  Lantern-lecture 
by  Mr.  T.  H.  Wardleworth,  on  "  Jamaica,,  ths  Isle  of  Spring." 

Wednesday,  November  6 

Pharmaceutical    Society  of  Great  Britain,  16  Bloomsbury 

Square,  W.C.,  at  11  a.m.  Council-meeting. 
Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Ireland,  67  Lower  Mount  Street, 

Dublin,  at  3  p.m.    First  meeting  of  new  Council. 

Thursday,  November  7. 

The  BSntgen  Society,  20  Hanover  Square,  W.,  at  8.30  p.m. 
Mr.  Herbert  Jackson  will  deliver  the  Presidential  Address. 

Chemical  Society,  Burlington  House,  W.,  at  8  p.m.  The 
following  papers  will  be  read  :— "  Note  on  the  Non  existence 
of  a  Higher  Oxide  of  Hydrogen  than  the  Di  oxide,"  by  Pro- 
fessor W.  Ramsay,  F.R.S. ;  "  The  Electrolytic  Reduction  of 
Nitroures,"  by  Mr.  G.  W.  F.  Holroyd  ;  "  The  Constitution  of 
Pilocarpine  HI  "  and  "  A  New  Synthesis  of  o  ethyl  Tricar  - 
ballylic  Acid,"  by  Dr.  H.  A.  D.  Jowett ;  "  The  Action  of 
Nitric  Acid  on  Methyl  Dimethylacetoacetate,"  by  Professor 
W.  H.  Perkin,  F.R.S. ;  "An  Incrustation  from  the  Stone 
Gallery  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral "  and  "  Note  on  Asbestos," 
by  Mr.  E.  G.  Clayton ;  "  Liquid  Nitrogen  Peroxide  as  a 
Solvent,"  by  Professor  P.  F.  Frankland,  F.R.S.,  and  Mr.  R.  C. 
Farmer. 

Chemists'  Assistants'  Association,  73  Newman  Street,  Oxford 
Street,  W.,  at  9  p.m.  Mr.  A.  H.  Ware  on  "The  Natural 
History  of  Insectivorous  Plants." 

Friday,  November  8. 

Messrs.  Burgoyne,  Burbidges  &  Co.'s  Cricket  Club.  Sixth  annua  1 
smoking- concert  at  the  Holborn  Town  Hall,  at  7.45  p.Mj 
Tickets,  price  Is.  each,  may  be  obtained  from  the  Secretary 
Mr.  E.  King,  12  and  16  Coleman  Street,  E.C. 


The  opening  evening-meeting  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society 
of  Great  Britain  (North  British  Branch)  has  been  arranged  for 
November  20  at  36  York  Place,  Edinburgh.  Dr.  Leonard  Dobbin 
is  to  give  an  address  on  "Some  Aspects  of  Education  and  Exami- 
nation in  Relation  to  the  Future  of  Pharmacy." 

The  British  Optical  Association  will  hold  an  examination 
in  Manchester  at  the  Royal  Technical  Institute,  Salford,  on 
November  27.  Intending  candidates  should  apply  to  the  Secre- 
tary, 17  Shaftesbury  Avenue,  London,  W.,  for  application  forms. 

The  Eighth  Annual  Dinner  of  the  past  and  present  students 
of  the  Metropolitan  College  of  Pharmacy,  160  and  162  Kenning- 
ton  Park  Road,  S.E.,  is  to  be  held  at  the  Holborn  ResUurant, 
W.C.,  on  Saturday,  November  23.  Mr.  A.  C.  Wootton,  member 
of  the  Council  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society,  will  preside,  and 
distribute  the  silver  and  bronze  medals  and  certificates  gained  by 
the  students  during  the  past  session. 


Mr.  J.  Dowling  Allman,  M.PS.  (representative  of  a 
firm  of  wholesale  chemists,  London),  writes  from  the  Star 
Hotel,  Great  Yarmouth,  to  the  Baily  News  about  "  Income- 
tax  tyranny."  The  Surveyor  has  demanded  from  him  40Z ,  on 
a  salary  rating  of  7002  a  year,  after  Mr.  Allman  had  made 
a  full  and  truthful  return  of  his  yearly  salary.  A  peremptory 
demand  by  the  Surveyor  for  Mr.  Allman's  attendance  in 
London  is  the  basis  of  his  protest. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


741 


Grafce  IReport 


NOTICE  TO  BUYERS.— The  prices  given  in  this  section  are 
those  obtained  by  importers  or  manufacturers  for  bulk 
quantities  or  original  packages.  To  these  prices  various 
charges  have  to  be  added,  whereby  values  are  in  many 
instances  greatly  augmented  before  wholesale  dealers  stock 
the  goods.  Qualities  of  drugs  and  oils  vary  greatly,  and 
higher  prices  are  commanded  by  selected  qualities  even  in 
bulk  quantities.  It  would  be  unreasonable  for  retail  buyers 
to  expect  to  get  small  quantities  at  anything  like  the  prices 
here  quoted. 

42  Cannon  Street,  London,  EX.:  October  31. 

FLUCTUATIONS  in  values  are  fairly  numerous  this  week, 
and  among  the  more  important  is  a  reduction  in  borax 
and  boric  acid.  The  principal  English  camphor-refiners 
have  lowered  their  prices  by  2d.  per  lb.  in  order  to 
counteract  German  competition.  Crude  camphor,  on  the 
other  hand,  has  advanced  quite  5s ,  so  that  the  present 
reduction  would  appear  to  be  temporary  only.  Sulphonal  is 
still  being  "  cut,"  and  lower  prices  again  prevail.  Saffron 
of  new  crop  is  in  fair  demand,  and  present  prices  are  low. 
Japanese  wax  is  getting  scarce,  and  values  tend  upwards. 
Quinine  is  quiet,  with  an  easier  tendency.  Senega  is  likely 
to  go  still  higher.  In  essential  and  fixed  oils,  American 
HGH  and  Japanese  oils  are  unaltered,  but  oil  of  star-anise 
has  a  firmer  tendency  on  the  spot.  Almond  oil  is  again 
lower,  cod -liver  oil  is  firmer,  and  palm  oil  is  easier.  The 
following  table  shows  the  principal  changes  of  the  week  : — 


Higher 

Firmer 

Easier 

Lower 

Camphor 
(crude) 
Gambier 
Ginger 
Lycopodium 
Quinine-salts 
Shellac 

Oil,  cod-liver 
Oil,  anise,  star 
Wax,  Japan 

Acid,  tartaric 
Oil,  palm 
Opium 

Copper  sul- 
phate 

Potash  chlor- 
ate 

Quinine  (sec. 
hands) 

Acid,  boric 
Borax 

Camphor  (Eng. 

ref.) 
Oil,  almond 

(B.P.) 
Saffron 
Sulphonal 
Vanilla 

Arrivals. 

The  following  drugs,  &c  ,  have  arrived  at  the  principal  ports  of 
the  United  Kingdom  from  October  2 1  to  30,  both  inclusive  :— 
Arrowroot  (St.  V.),  660 ;  asafetida  (@  Lingah),  92  cs. ;  bay  oil 
(W.I.),  2;  buchu,  24;  button  lac  (@  Calcutta),  820  chests; 
shellac,  183 ;  calumba  (@  Bombay),  768 ;  cardamoms,  28  ; 
chamomiles,  81 ;  cinchona  (@  Mollendo)  155  bales,  (E.I.),  13 ; 
cocaine,  crude  (@  Callao),  11;  cocoa  butter  (@  Amsterdam), 
20  cs. ;  cod-liver  oil  (@  Christiania)  30,  (@  Aalesund)  282, 
(@  Bergen)  107 ;  cubebs,  4 ;  dragon's-blood  (@  Penang),  5  ;  drugs 
(@  Cartagena),  32  pkgs. ;  ergot  (@  Hamburg),  9;  essential 
oils  (@  N.  York),  32 ;  eucalyptus  oil  (@  Bremen),  16  cs. ; 
galbanum,  11 ;  galls  (Persian),  264 ;  ginger  (@  Hong  Kong), 
250;  gentian- powder,  20;  gum  arabic  (@  Aden),  29;  gum 
sandarac,  13 ;  gum,  unenumerated  (Persian),  1, 316  pkgs. ; 
gum  tragacanth,  427  pkgs.  ;  honey  (@  Sydney)  60,  (Jam.)  4 ; 
kola,  10  ;  lime-juice  (at  Jamaica  39  brls.,  (@  Dominica)  133  brls., 
(@  Halifax)  150  pns. ;  lime  oil  (@  Dominica),  8 ;  liquorice, 
434  cs. ;  opium  (@  Smyrna)  34,  (@  Persia)  58,  ,@  Constantinople) 
59,  (@  Hong-Kong)  48;  peppermint  oil  (@  New  York),  13; 
pimento  (@  Jamaica),  2,190  bags  ;  quinine  (@  Amsterdam),  5  cs. ; 
rhubarb  (@  Shanghai),  92  cs. ;  roots  ((©Hamburg),  20;  sandal- 
wood (@  Sydney),  26?  pes.;  senna  (@  Bombay),  406;  soda  bi- 
carbonate (@  New  York),  700  kegs  ;  spermaceti  (@  N.Y.),  10  cs. ; 
sulphur  (@  Spain),  510  tons  ;  sponges  (@  Marseilles),  247  pkgs. ; 
turmeric  (@  Calcutta),  250;  wax,  bees'  (@  Calcutta)  14,  (@  Aden) 
110  bdls.  17  bags,  (@  Marseilles)  23;  wax,  unenumerated 
(@  Hamburg),  12  cs. 

Heavy  Chemicals. 

General  business  in  the  beavy-chemical  market  at  all  the  prin- 
cipal centres  continues  without  material  change.  Export  business 
s  now  declining,  but  this  is  quite  to  be  expected  at  tbis  period. 
A  fairly  active  all-round  demand  is  being  experienced  in  the 


home-trade  department,  and  consumers,  although  still  somewhat 
slow,  are  certainly  showing  a  better  disposition  to  cover  their  next 
year's  requirements.  Values  are  for  the  most  part  steadily  main- 
tained without  changes. 

Alkali-produce. — Bleaching-powder  is  still  in  active  request, 
and  supply  is  not  too  abundant.  Price  continues  firm  at  61.  15s. 
to  71.  per  ton  for  soft-wood  casks,  free  on  rails  ;  f.o.b.  Liverpool  or 
Tyne,  71.  to  71.  5s.  per  ton.  Caustic  soda,  although  in  fair 
demand,  is  perhaps  a  shade  easier  ;  still,  there  appears  little  like- 
lihood of  any  appreciable  decline  in  values  from  the  following: 
76  to  77  per  cent.,  111.  to  111.  5s.  per  ton  ;  70  percent ,  10/.  2s.  6d. 
to  10Z.  7s.  6d.  per  ton  ;  and  60  per  cent.,  91.  2s.  6d.  to  91.  7s.  6d. 
per  ton.  Ammonia  alkali,  58  per  cent.,  in  brisk  request,  and  firm 
at  47.  12s.  6i.  to  41.  17s.  6d.  per  ton,  in  bags,  free  on  rails.  Figure 
for  next  year  is  M.  5s.  per  ton.  Saltcake  maintains  a  firm  tone, 
and  is  in  demand  at  28s.  to  29s.  per  ton,  in  bulk,  free  on  rails ;  for 
prompt  and  forward  delivery,  30s.  per  ton.  Soda  crystals  have 
been  moving  fairly  well  of  late,  at  unchanged  rates  of  62s.  6d.  to 
65s.  per  ton,  f.o  b.  Tyne,  and  67s.  6d.  per  ton,  f.o.b.  Liverpool. 
Bicarbonate  of  soda  steadily  maintains  its  position,  with  fair 
inquiry,  61.  7s.  6d.  to  61.  12s.  6d.  per  ton,  in  5-cwt  casks,  and 
61.  15s.  to  71.  per  ton,  in  1-cwt.  kegs,  f.o.b.  Liverpool.  Sulphate 
of  soda  (Glauber's  salts)  without  change,  at  30s.  to  32s.  6d.  per 
ton,  free  on  rails  in  bags.  Hyposulphite  of  soda  still  keeps  very 
low  in  values,  and  demand  is  only  moderate,  61.  5s.  to  61.  15s.  per 
ton,  in  large  casks,  and  7/.  to  71.  10s.  per  ton,  in  1-cwt.  kegs. 
Yellow  prussiate  of  potash  and  soda  have  a  firmer  tone  for 
prompt.  Nominal  figures  for  best  Lancashire  make :  potash, 
Ei^d.  to  5\d.  per  lb. ;  soda,  4^/.  to  4jd.  per  lb.  Chlorates  of  potash 
and  soda  show  a  further  decline,  and  have  no  apparent  tendency 
towards  recovery.  Prices  are  respectively  2\d  to  "bd.  per  lb.,  and 
3d.  to  Z^d.  per  lb.  Silicates  of  soda  continue  to  move  well,  and 
show  no  change  in  values:  140°  Tw.,  M.  2s.  6d.  to  M  12s.  6d.  per 
ton;  100°  Tw.,  II.  12s.  6d.  to  Al.  2s.  6d.  per  ton;  and  75°  Tw., 
Zl.  5s  to  Zl.  15s.  per  ton,  f.o.b.  Tyne  or  Liverpool,  according  to 
quantity,  and  in  ordinary  casks. 

Liverpool  Drug  Market. 

Liverpool,  October  30. 

Castor  Oil. — The  stocks  of  good  seconds  Calcutta  on  the  Bpot 
are  gradually  being  brought  into  very  narrow  compass,  and  the 
price  remains  firm  at  Z\d.  per  lb.  Forward  business  is  very 
limited  in  proportion,  but  sellers  show  no  disposition  to  meet  the 
views  of  buyers  in  this  position.  English  and  French  first  pres- 
sure are  still  selling  at  3jjfZ.  to  Z-^d.,  but  the  amount  of  business 
is  very  small.  Second-pressure  English  and  French  continues  to 
find  buyers  at  3d.  to  Z^d.,  the  latter  price  being  paid  for  few 
barrel  lots. 

Irish  Moss. — Sales  of  the  new  continue  to  be  made  at  71.  to  &l. 
per  ton  for  common  quality. 

Calabar  Beans. — The  sale  is  reported  of  a  small  parcel,  about 
2  cwt.,  at  lOd.  per  lb. 

Acacia  Sorts. — While  the  advance  of  the  past  few  weeks  is 
fully  maintained,  sales  are  of  very  limited  proportions.  Several 
lots  to  be  offered  at  auction  shortly,  are  "limited  "  at  full  prices. 

Qutllaia. — Holders  continue  to  exhibit  a  very  firm  attitude, 
and  quote  121.  17s.  6d.  to  131.  per  ton. 

African  Ginger. — In  sympathy  with  other  gingers  this  is  very 
firmly  held,  and  40s.  to  45s.  per  cwt.  is  asked  for  the  small  quan- 
tity available. 

Turps  is  easier  for  the  week  at  27s.  9d.  to  28s.  per  cwt. 

Canary-seed. — Owing  to  arrivals  this  has  again  dropped  to 
the  old  figure  of  33s.  to  33s.  6d.  per  qr.  for  good  bright  Turkish. 

Honey. — The  sale  of  30  barrels  low-grade  Peruvian  is  reported 
at  17s.  per  cwt.  A  recent  arrival  of  Jamaican  is  held  for  21s.  per 
cwt.    Californian  and  Chilian  unchanged  in  values. 

Gambier. — Very  firm,  at  35s.  to  35s.  6d.  per  cwt.  for  good  free 
cubes. 

Scammony-root  is  firmly  held  by  importers  at  27s.  6d.  to  3Cs. 
per  cwt. 

Beeswax. — For  a  parcel  of  Chilian  at  auction  no  bids  were 
forthcoming.  Holders  said  that  their  idea  of  value  was  71.  to 
71.  5s.  A  small  parcel  of  mixed  Peruvian  is  held  at  6/.  15s.  per 
cwt. 

Linseed  Oil. — Holders  of  Liverpool  makes  in  export-casks  are 
asking  an  advance  of  6d.  per  cwt.,  present  prices  being  33s.  6d.  to 
34s.  per  cwt.,  according  to  quantity. 

German  Drug  Market. 

Hamburg,  October  29. 

There  is  very  little  of  interest  to  be  reported  from  our  drug- 
market  this  week.  The  position  of  most  articles  remains  about 
the  same  as  last  week,  and  values  are  mostly  unaltered. 

Agar-agar  is  firm  and  dearer  at  385m.  per  100  kilos. 

Antimony  is  quieter  at  28m.  to  27|m.  per  100  kilos. 

Citric  Acid  for  forward  delivery  is  rather  firmer  at  235m.,  and 
240m.  per  100  kilos,  on  the  spot. 


742 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


Condubango  bark  is  more  freely  offered,  and  tending  lower  at 
65m.  per  100  kilos. 

Camphor  (Refined)  does  not  show  much  business.  From 
secondhands  427£m.  per  100  kilos,  has  been  paid. 

Cantharides  is  firm  at  515m.  per  100  kilos,  for  Russian. 

Cevadilla-seed  shows  a  better  tone  at  80m.  per  100  kilos. 

Ergot  keeps  firm,  Spanish  being  held  at  375m.,  and  Russian 
at  350m.  per  100  kilos. 

Ipecacuanha  is  also  firm  at  24jm.  for  Rio,  and  l^m.  per  kilo, 
for  Cartagena. 

Lycopodium  remains  firm  als'*,  holders  asking  450m.  per 
100  kilos.,  an  spot  is  scarce. 

Menthol. —  Spot  delivery  is  firm  at  32m.  per  kilo.,  but  forward 
delivery  is  rather  easier  at  27im.  per  kilo,  for  November-December 
shipment. 

Quinine  has  been  raised  by  the  factories,  and  41m.  per  kilo,  is 
now  asked. 

Quillaia  is  quiet  at  27Am.  per  100  kilos. 

Star-anise  is  unchanged  at  127Am.  per  1C0  kilos. 

Japanese  Wax. — Arrivals  coming  in,  prompt  delivery  is  held 
for  69m.  and  68m.,  and  forward  at  67m.  per  100  kilos. 

Castor  Oil. — Spot  is  firm  but  quiet  at  57m.  for  first-pressing 
in  barrels,  and  55m.  per  100  kilos,  for  forward  delivery. 

Cod-liver  Oil  is  dull  of  sale  at  61m.  per  barrel  for  non- 
congealing  oil. 

Linseed  Oil  is  tending  firmer,  but  demand  is  limited. 

Essential  Oils  are  practically  unchanged  since  last  week. 

American  Drug  Market. 

New  York,  October  22. 

A  very  fair  business  is  being  transacted,  mainly  along  jobbing 
lines,  and  the  market  has  a  steady  tone. 

Buchu  is  easier,  in  sympathy  with  London,  and  quotations 
show  a  decline  to  24c.  per  lb.  for  spot. 

Caffeine  has  declined  to  $3.75,  a  drop  of  50c.  per  lb. 

Golden- seal  (Hydrastis)  is  a  trifle  firmer,  but  54c.  will  still 
buy. 

Jalap  is  quiet  at  12Jc.  to  13c.  per  lb. 

Ipecac. — Supplies  of  all  kinds  are  light,  and  values  are  firm  at 
$2.70  for  Rio  and  $1.70  per  lb.  for  Cartagena. 

Menthol  is  higher,  $4.25  being  now  the  inside  figure  for  spot 
goods. 

Peppermint  Oil  maintains  its  position.  Little  bulk  oil  is 
obtainable  below  $1.70,  and  HGH  is  quoted  at  $1.90.  Very  little 
is  held  in  the  growing  districts. 

Senega  is  quiet  but  strong,  and  very  little  is  offering  below  60c. 
The  chances  are  still  against  fresh  supplies  being  dug.  Small 
amounts  are  available  on  the  spot  at  57c.  per  lb. 

Thymol  is  quiet  at  $2.95  per  lb.,  but  the  market  has  an  upward 
tendency. 

Quinine. — Java  is  selling  at  27c.  per  oz.,  and  German  at  27£c. 
from  second  hands.  Demand  has  improved,  and  the  market  is 
firmer.    Manufacturers  continue  to  quote  on  a  basis  of  28c. 

Cablegrams. 

Smyrna,  Thursday,  9.45  a  m.  :  The  sales  of  opium  for  the 
week  ending  Wednesday  amount  to  100  cases  for  American 
shipment  and  40  cases  on  Holland  account.  An  advance  in 
the  price  of  the  richer  grades  is  anticipated. 

*  *  *  * 

New  York,  October  31,  3  p.m.  : — The  business  tone  here 
is  good.  Opium  is  easy  at  $3 10  per  lb.  Quinine  is 
firm  at  29c.  per  cz.,  and  refined  camphor  is  easier  at  56c. 
Buchu-leaves  are  quiet  at  23c,  and  golden-seal  root 
(Hydrastis)  is  easier  at  52c.  Cannabis  indica  is  strong,  65c. 
beiDg  wanted  for  tops.  Aleppo  tragacanth  is  scarce  and 
wanted. 

*  *  *  * 

Hamburg,  October  3L,  4.30  p.m.  :— Refined  borax  and 
boric  acid  have  been  reduced  4m.  For  agar-agar  400m.  has 
been  paid,  being  dearer.  Lycopodium,  ergot,  and  refined 
camphor  are  firm. 

London  Markets. 

Acid,  Citric. — A  firmer  tone  is  apparent  at  from  Is.  l^d. 
to  Is.  \\d.  per  lb.  for  English  crystals,  according  to  quantity 
and  make. 

Acid,  Oxalic. — It  is  reported  that  a  large  oxalic-acid 
factory  will  be  built  at  Sheboygan,  Michigan.  The  raw 
material  to  be  used  is  sawdust,  which  can  be  had  cheaply  in 
the  neighbouring  lumber  regions.  The  venture  is  said  to  be 
the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States. 

Acid,  Tartaric. — The  price  of  English  crystals  or  powder 
is  now  llfd.  per  lb.  on  the  spot;  and  foreign,  Wd. 


Acids. — The  following  quotations  are  for  B.P.  quality  in 
quantity  : — Sulphuric,  21s  per  cwt. ;  nitric  (1420),  25s.  9d.  ; 
hydrochloric  (1160),  16s.  6d. ;  sulphurous,  4s.  per  cwt. 

Aniseed. — The  Chinese  crop  of  star-aniseed,  although  about 
25  per  cent,  smaller  than  last  year's,  promises  to  be  a  full 
average  one  (according  to  a  Hong-Kong  report  of  Sep- 
tember 27),  in  spite  of  which  Chinese  sellers  are  very 
reluctant.  Native  speculators  have  bought  at  the  parity  of 
60s.  per  cwt. 

Arrowroot. — St.  Vincent  has  sold  in  fair  quantity  at 
2§d.  to  3^d.  per  lb.  for  fine,  and  l^d.  to  l^d.  for  medium  to 
good.    Nothing  was  offered  in  auction. 

Arsenic  is  steady  at  from  161.  10s.  to  17Z.  per  ton  for  best 
white  English  powder. 

Asapetida. — A  small  business  in  low  grades  is  reported 
at  20s.  per  cwt. 

Belladonna-root. — Good  quality  is  practically  un- 
obtainable from  abroad,  and  buyers  here  would  be  willing  to 
pay  40s.,  c.i.f.,  for  it.  Grades  of  low  alkaloidal  content  are 
plentiful,  and  can  be  had  at  30s. 

Borax  has  been  reduced  2s.  per  cwt.,  crystals  now  being 
quoted  13s  ,  and  powder  14s.  in  contract  quantities.  Boric 
acid  has  also  been  reduced  to  22s.  for  crystals  and  24s.  for 
powder. 

BUCHU, — Since  the  auctions  further  sales  of  round  leaf 
have  been  made  at  ll^d.  per  lb. 

CALUMBA. — According  to  the  Bill  of  Entry  the  s.s.  Egypt 
from  Bombay  has  arrived  with  768  bales. 

Camphor. — English  refiners  have  lowered  their  quotations 
by  Zd.  per  lb.,  and  now  quote  bells  and  flowers  at  2s  l^d., 
with  a  reduction  of  \d.  for  half-ton  lots.  Tablets  are  q  lote'd 
at  propor  ionately  higher  rates.  The  present  substantial 
reduction  is  intended  to  crush  the  competition  of  holders  of 
German  refined  camphor,  whose  circulars  quoting  low  prices 
have  lately  been  somewhat  prevalent  in  London.  It  is  said 
that  one  of  the  English  refiners  who  is  not  in  the  Conven- 
tion will  do  his  best  to  maintain  prices.  The  market  for 
crude  camphor  is  5s.  dearer,  Formosan  crude  being  now 
quoted  166s.  6d.  to  167s.  6d.  per  cwt  ,  c.i.f.,  and  Japanese 
crude,  172s.  6d  .  c  i.f. ;  for  pressed  180s  ,  c.i.f.,  has  been  paid, 
and  185s.  is  asked  on  the  spot. 

The  exports  from  Canton  and  Hong-Kong  to  the  Continent  from 
January  1  to  September  27  have  been  :— 

1901  1899  1898 

Boxes       ...       11,071  12,647  13,435 

Cannabis  Indica. — The  stocks  here  are  gradually  being 
drawn  upon,  and  it  is  anticipated  that  prices  will  shortly 
advance  3d.  per  lb.  The  current  quotation  for  tops  is  2s  3d, 
and  2s.  for  sii  tings. 

Cantharides. — Natural  Russian  flies  are  quoted  2s  3^d. 
per  lb.,  c.i.f.,  and  Chinese  at  Is.  10d.,  c.i.f. 

Cascara  Sagrada. — There  has  been  a  good  inquiry,  and 
cheap  bark  offering  at  26s.  has  been  practically  cleared  ;  for 
1899  crop  28s.  6d  spot  is  now  asked. 

Chillies. — In  auction  120  bags  Japanese  offered,  of  which 
60  sold  at  44s.  for  good  bright.  Privately  t4s.  to  45s.  has 
also  been  paid. 

Cinchona. — Additions  to  the  quantity  of  bark  to  be 
offered  at  Amsterdam  on  November  7  now  bring  the  total 
to  8,980  bales  and  325  cases,  weighing  816,285  kilos.  Tne 
stock  in  first  hands  now  consists  of  2,651  packages  Govern- 
ment and  12  414  packages  private  bark,  including  the 
quantity  to  be  offered  in  auction. 

Cloves. — The  market  is  firm  with  fair  sales  of  Zanzibar 
for  October-December  delivery  at  4^.,  January-March  at 
H^d.  Co  4^<Z.,  and  March-May  at  4TV&  to  4£d.  per  lb.  No 
Zauzibar  or  Penang  were  offered  in  auction. 

Cocaine  is  very  firm  and  in  fair  demand.  The 
crude-market  is  reported  to  have  been  cleared  in  Hamburg, 
and  as  the  convention  is  fairly  strong,  prices  may  advance 
when  makers  have  sold  sufficient  at  the  quoted  price  of 
20s.  9d. 

Copper  Sulphate. — A  combination  of  the  producers  of 
copper  sulphate  has  been  formed  in  the  United  Stat  es,  which 
has  been  entrusted  with  the  disposal  of  the  surplus  pro- 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


743 


duction,  and  an  attempt  is  now  being  made  to  come  to  an 
understanding  with  British  producers,  in  order  that  the 
excessive  competition  in  Europe  may  be  avoided.  Meetings 
have  been  held  in  London  this  week,  and  it  is  stated  that 
arrangements  were  completed  on  Tuesday  with  the  American 
makers.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  not  all  the 
sulphate  makers  are  members  of  the  British  ring,  so  that 
unless  they  can  be  induced  to  join,  the  agreement  may  be 
unworkable,  should  the  "  outsiders  "  prefer  to  cut.  Spot  is 
easier  at  20/.  15s.  per  ton  for  good  brands. 

Ergot. — On  the  spot  holders  ask  Is.  9i.  par  lb.  for  new 
Spanish.  Russian,  of  which  there  is  little  on  offer,  is  quoted 
Is.  l\d.  per  lb  ,  c.i.f.  Hamburg  advices  report  a  very  firm 
market,  new  sound  Spanish  being  quoted  Is.  l\d.,  and 
Eussian  Is.  Id.  per  lb.,  c.i.f.,  for  prompt  shipment  from 
producing  countries. 

Galls. — The  quotation  for  the  new  Japanese  crop  is 
51s.  6d.  per  cwt,,  c.i  f.  Holders  of  plum-shaped  Chinese  ask 
62s.,  and  ordinary  Shanghai  description  56s.,  c.i.f.  Persian 
are  very  firm,  holders  asking  67s.  Qd.  for  blue,  60s.  for  green, 
and  52s.  Qd.  for  white. 

Gambier. — For  a  parcel  of  cubes,  near  a*j  hand,  34s.  6^. 
was  paid  last  week.    There  are  no  supplies  on  the  spot. 

.  Ginger. — In  auction  98  barrels  Jamaica  ginger  sold  with 
good  competition  at  an  advance  7s  since  last  sale,  ordinary  to 
medium  dullish  selling  at  49s  6d.  to  51s.  Qd.,  with  one  lot  at 
54s.  Qd.  per  cwt.,  64  cases  Cochin  ginger  were  bought  in  at 
high  prices,  viz.  medium  native  cut  at  70s  ,  and  small  ditto  at 
57s.  6^.  per  cwt.  Privately  Jamaica  has  been  in  fair  demand 
at  the  advance.  Cochin  is  dearer,  a  good  business  having 
been  done  at  from  44s.  Qd.  to  45s.,  and  brown  Calicut  at  42s. 
per  cwt.  In  Japanese  ginger  over  50  tons  have  been  sold  at 
32s.  to  33s.  c.i.f.  according  to  position,  and  for  a  spot  parcel 
of  medium  to  small  plump  limed  40s.  Qi.  has  been  paid. 

Guinea-grains  are  being  offered  in  Liverpool  at  52s.  Qd. 
per  cwt ,  c.i.f.  Liverpool. 

Ipecacuanha. — Rio  is  very  steady,  with  small  sales  at  the 
auction  prices — viz.,  lis.  3d.  to  lis.  4^.  for  fair  root.  For 
Cartagena  6s.  9d.  per  lb.  is  still  wanted  for  good  clean.  It 
is  denied  that  the  parcels  of  Cartagena  root  offered  in 
auction  last  week  were  rejected  by  the  New  York  Customs 
authorities,  they  being  merely  shipped  vid  New  York  in 
transit  for  London.  Certainly  the  impression  was  prevalent 
last  week  that  the  parcels  in  question  had  been  shipped 
from  Hamburg  to  New  York,  and  afterwards  rejected. 

We  have  received  a  letter  from  the  Hamburg  firm,  from  whose 
circular  we  quoted  a  paragraph  in  our  issue  of  October  19,  in 
respect  to  the  emetine  content  of  ipecacuanha  offered  by  them. 
They  enclose  with  it  the  analyst's  report  on  a  parcel  of  Cartagena 
ipecac,  weighing  about  650  kilos.,  in  which  he  declares  that  he 
found  3-29  per  cent,  of  crude  emetin  (Rohemetin)  and  2'95  per 
cent,  of  pure  emetin  (Reinemetin).  The  analysis  is  by  a  sworn 
chemist,  and  establishes  the  bona  fides  of  the  firm. 

Lycopodium  is  advancing,  and  from  Hamburg  2i.  0\d. 
per  lb.,  c  5. f.,  is  now  quoted.  Stocks  are  said  to  be  greatly 
reduced  in  Russia. 

Manna  is  now  getting  scarce,  and  importers  quote  3s. 
per  lb.,  f.o.b.  Palermo,  for  best  flake,  and  lower  qualities  in 
proportion. 

Menthol  shows  no  change,  at  15s.  per  lb.  spot  for 
Kobayashi  crystals.  October-November  shipment  is  quoted 
13?.  Qd.,  c.i.f,  and  January  shipment  at  the  same  figure. 

Oil,  Almond. — A  further  reduction  of  Id.  per  lb.  has 
been  made  by  English  pressers,  who  now  quote  sweet  at 
Is.  3d.,  and  pallid  at  Is.  5d.  per  lb. 

Oil,  Anise- star. — The  price  paid  in  auction  last  week — 
viz.,  4s.  9d.  to  4s  lQd. — is  said  to  be  the  lowest  on  record 
Some  holders  are  unwilling  to  sell  at  current  rates,  and  5s  is 
now  the  lowest  spot  price.    C.i.f.  is  quoted-4s.  3\d.  to  4s.  Qd. 

Oil,  Castor.— Calcutta  oil  remains  very  dull,  at  3\d. 
per  lb.  for  seconds.  Hull  make  for  December  delivery  is 
quoted  231.  per  ton  for  firsts  and  2,71.  for  seconds,  ex  wharf 
London.  Medicinal  Italian  oil  is  quoted  36s.  per  cwt.,  c.i.f., 
which  figure  has  been  paid. 

A  Calcutta  report,  dated  October  10,  states  that  the  market  has 
continued  dull  with  little  inquiry,  but  owing  to  a  temporary  short 


supply  of  seed  and  consequent  curtailed  production,  prices  are 
slightly  higher.  Crushers  are  working  very  cautiously,  and  are 
firm  at  their  quotations. 

Oil,  Citronella. — For  small  lots  in  cases  lQd.  per  lb. 
has  been  paid  on  the  spot. 

Oil,  Cod-liver. — It  is  reported  that  one  London  agent 
has  advanced  his  quotation,  and  is  selling  at  63s.,  f  o.b. 
From  Bergen,  under  date  of  October  26,  our  corre- 
spondent writes  that  there  is  an  improvement  in  the 
demand,  and  the  tendency  is  firmer,  sellers  of  finest  Lofoten 
non-congealing  oil  now  asking  62s.  per  barrel,  f  o.b.  Bergen. 
The  exports  from  that  port  to  date  amount  to  10,972  barrels, 
against  7,983  barrels  at  the  same  time  last  year. 

Oil,  Peppermint, — The  spot  supply  of  American  HGH 
oil  is  now  very  low,  and  little  is  obtainable  at  8s.  Qd.,  which 
has  been  paid.  Japanese  oil  is  quiet,  at  4s..  spot,  for 
dementholised,  and  a  cable  advice  quotes  3s  10|^  per  lb., 
c.i.f.,  for  November- December  shipment  from  first  hands. 

Opium. — Holders  of  Persian  on  the  spot  ask  10s.  9d  to 
lis.  per  lb.,  but  buyers'  ideas  of  value  are  lower,  the  market 
being  weak.  For  forward  delivery  business  has  been  done 
at  10s.  Qd.,  c.i.f,  with  further  sellers. 

Smyrna,  October  18. — About  80  cases  have  been  sold  this 
week,  a  slight  decline  having  induced  business,  principally  for 
American  account.  The  following  are  the  sales  : — Fifty-six  cases 
old  new  talequale,  Karahissar  and  Yerli,  at  the  parity  of  8s.  6d. 
per  lb  ;  11  cases  new  Bogaditz  talequale,  at  9s.  to  9s.  2d. ; 
4  cases  choice  Karahissar  talequale,  at  8s.  Qd.  to  9s.  Id. ;  6  cases 
Adette  ditto,  at  8s.  Zd. ;  and  3  cases  old  Karahissar,  at  8s.  Wd. 
per  lb.,  c.i.f.  The  market  closes  easy  for  ne  .v  and  very  firm  for 
old.  The  arrivals  are  2,503  cases,  against  3,180  cases  at  the  same 
time  last  year. 

Orris  is  offered  at  easier  rates,  and  at  present  low  values 
appears  to  be  worth  stocking.  Gojd  Florentine  sorts  are 
obtainable  at  23s.  c.i.f.,  and  for  selected  quality  27s.  c.i.f.  is 
quoted.    A  good  business  has  been  done  this  week. 

Pepper. — Singapore  is  quiet  with  sales  to  arrive  near  at 
hand  at  5\^/l.,  and  January-March  delivery  G~d ,  being 
cheaper  ;  spjt  is  held  at  Qd.  for  fair.  White  pepper  is  firm, 
but  higher  prices  are  asked,  viz.,  9gd.  for  October- December 
shipment.  Penang  has  sold  for  Ojtobsr-Dicember  shipment 
at  37gd. 

Phenacetin. — The  maker's  pries  is  unchanged  at  4s.  3d. 
for  5  cwt.  lots,  but  from  second  hands  this  figure  could  be 
shaded. 

Pimento. — Firm.  In  auction  42  bags  offered  of  which 
16  sold  at  3%d.  per  lb.  for  fair. 

Quinine — Quiet  and  easier  in  second-hands.  At  the  end 
of  last  week  small  sales  good  brands  of  German  sulphate 
were  made  at  Is.  2d.  for  December  delivery,  and  Is.  2\d. 
for  March,  and  these  prices  are  still  quoted  nominally.  To- 
diy  no  business  has  beendone  and  prices  are  quite  nominal, 
owing  to  the  bark-shipments  being  1,500,000  Amsterdam 
lbs.,  which  are  said  to  be  the  largest  on  record.  Silts 
have  been  advanced,  the  following  being  the  quotations  for 
the  more  important  in  quantities  of  100  ozs. : — Bisulphate 
Is.  3d  per  oz.,  citrate  Is.  9d.,  hydrobromide  Is.  8%d.,  hydro- 
chloride Is.  Q\d.,  lactate  Is.  H^d.,  phosphate  Is.  10d.,  salicy- 
late Is.  Q^d.,  and  valerianate  Is.  ll^d. 

Saffron. — Reports  from  Spain  intimate  that  the  new 
crop  will  be  a  full  average  one.  It  is  selling  freely  here  on 
the  basis  of  24s.  to  25s.  per  lb.  net,  the  latter  figure  being  for 
guaranteed  B.P.  quality.  These  prices  are  low,  but  it  is 
quite  expected  that  they  will  improve  as  the  season  advances, 
especially  as  there  is  practically  no  old  crop  either  in 
Spain  or  London. 

Senega. — There  is  a  good  inquiry,  and  the  market  still 
tends  upwards.  For  small  parcels  on  the  spot  2s.  Qd  net 
has  been  paid,  but  sellers  are  by  no  means  anxious  for  busi- 
ness, preferring  to  hold.  The  London  stock  in  first-hands  is 
estimated  at  about  5  tons,  and  Hamburg  is  very  bare. 
Advices  from  America  point  to  a  continuance  of  the  present 
scarcity,  and  one  report  states  "there  are  only  10  tons  avail- 
able to  last  for  ten  months  1 " 

Serpentary. — Holders  ask  Is.  lOd.  per  lb.  on  the  spot. 

Shellac— The  market  last  week  closed  dearer  on  advices 
of  a  stronger  market  in  Calcutta,  and  this  week  values  are 


744 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


again  higher,  the  Calcutta  price  of  TN  having  advanced  to 
55  r.  On  the  spot  a  good  business  has  been  done  in  second 
orange  TN  at  from  97s.,  rising  up  to  100s.  for  fair.  A  C 
Garnet  has  sold  at  102s.  6d.  Prices  for  future  delivery 
fluctuated  somewhat  early  in  the  week,  but  on  Wednesday 
another  advance  set  in,  November  delivery  selling  up  to 
103s.  6d,  December  104s.,  January  105s.,  and  March  106s. 
per  cwt.  For  arrival  no  business  is  reported,  owing  to  the 
range  of  Calcutta  prices  being  so  much  above  the  London 
market,  which  makes  business  on  c  i.f.  terms  practically 
impossible. 
Soy  is  steady  at  Is.  6d.  per  gal.,  duty  paid. 

Sulphonal. — There  appears  to  be  no  bottom  to  this 
market,  as  two  makers  now  quote  5s.  6d.  per  lb. — a  further 
reduction  of  2s.  from  last  week.  Bayer's  quotation  is  Is., 
and  the  Swiss  makers  quoted  6s.  9d.  net  early  in  the  week. 
These  low  prices  appear  to  have  stimulated  the  demand,  and 
evidently  buyers  think  it  is  a  favourable  opportunity  to  lay 
in  stocks.  Prices  are  hardly  likely  to  keep  at  this  level  for 
long,  and  makers  are  not  eager  sellers  in  large  quantities. 

Thymol. — Practically  nothing  doing,  dealers  asking  from 
9s.  6d.  to  10s.  6d.  per  lb.,  according  to  quantity. 

Tragacanth. — There  has  been  a  fair  demand  for  both 
Baghdad  and  Persian  descriptions  at  about  11.  10s  per  cwt. 
and  under.  The  medium  and  better  qualities  are  also 
inquired  for,  and  very  high  prices  have  been  paid  in  some 
instances  ;  the  market  is  practically  bare  of  these  descrip- 
tions, but  fresh  supplies  are  now  near  at  hand. 

Turmeric. — Several  hundred  bags  of  Cochin  finger  have 
been  sold  at  16s ,  and  split  bulbs  at  12s.  per  cwt.  Fair 
bright  Madras  finger  has  changed  hands  at  23s.,  and  for 
arrival  14s  6d.  per  cwt ,  c.i.f.,  has  been  paid  for  Bengal,  the 
spot  price  being  17s.  6d. 

Vanilla — At  auction  the  considerable  supply  of  1,800  tins 
were  offered  (chiefly  Seychelles),  and  mostly  sold  at  irregular, 
but  lower  prices ;  22s.  per  lb.  was  paid  for  7§  to  8£  inch 
Seychelles  pods  ;  16s.  to  19s.  Qd.  for  7  to  1\  inch  ;  lis.  6d.  to 
15s.  6d.  for  6|  to  7  inch  ;  9s.  to  14s.  for  5§  to  6h  inch  ;  and 
7s.  to  lis.  for  4|  to  5J  iach. 

Wax,  Japanese. — For  good  squares  34s.  6d.  spot  has 
been  paid,  and  35s.  is  now  wanted  ;  spot  stock  is  principally 
in  the  bands  of  one  or  two  holders. 


The  Hop=crop. 

According  to  the  official  estimate  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture, 
the  hop  crop  in  England  points  to  a  yield  of  649,000  cwt.,  which 
is  the  highest  total  recorded  since  1899  and  1886,  when  the  yields 
were  661,000  cwt.  and  776,0C0  cwt.  respectively.  The  crop-figures 
this  season  are  the  more  noteworthy,  as  the  acreage  under  hops 
has  diminished  slightly  in  the  past  three  years. 

American  Copper  Sulphate. 

The  exports  of  copper  sulphate  from  New  York  during  Septem- 
ber aggregated  104,533  lbs.,  making  a  total  of  37,244,791  lbs.  for 
the  nine  months.  Of  this  total  Italy  received  27,499,645  lbs.,  or 
74  per  cent. ;  Austria,  3,450,856  lbs.,  or  9  per  cent. ;  France, 
1,857,731  lbs.,  or  5  per  cent. ;  and  Holland,  1,255,121  lbs.,  or  3  per 
cent.  Fairly  large  quantities  were  also  sent  to  Portugal, 
Belgium,  and  Argentina. 

Italian  Alum. 

The  output  of  alum  at  the  mines  of  the  Societe  Generale  des 
Alums  Bomains  in  Allumiere  in  1900  was  6,155  tons,  valued  at 
about  5,C00?.,  which  was  mostly  exported  to  Rouen  in  its  natural 
state.  A  portion  of  it,  however,  was  refined  in  the  company's 
works  at  Civitavecchia.  Here  sulphuric  acid  is  also  produced. 
This  article  is  used  for  converting  crude  alum  into  sulphate  of 
alum,  and  it  is  now  being  exported  for  the  manufacture  of  dyna- 
mite, but  not  as  yet  in  considerable  quantities.  For  the  pro- 
duction of  sulphuric  acid  the  impure  sulphur  from  Sicily  is 
used.  The  output  of  alum  could  be  considerably  increased> 
and  the  trade  in  general  would  greatly  benefit  if  the  serious  draw- 
back of  transport  from  Allumiere  to  Civita  Vecchia  could  be 
obviated.  The  village  of  Allumiere  is  about  ten  miles  distant 
from  Civita  Vecchia,  and  is  situated  at  about  1,770  feet  above  the 
sea-level.  The  road  is  a  continuous  steep  slope,  and  the  transport 
of  alum  on  cars  drawn  by  oxen  is  attended  with  great  difficulty, 
loss  of  time,  and  expense.  Thus  the  value  is  considerably  in- 
creased, and  consequently  the  exportation  of  this  artiole  under- 
taken to  distant  ports  leaves  hardly  any  margin  for  profit. 


A.  &  F  Pears  (Limited). 

The  shareholders  met  at  the  Holborn  Restaurant  on  Wed- 
nesday afternoon,  October  30,  Mr.  Thos.  J.  Barratt,  chairman 
of  the  company,  presiding.  In  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts  for  the  year  to  June  30  last,  the  Chair- 
man said  the  report  would,  he  believed,  give  complete 
satisfaction,  and,  indeed,  it  should  do  so  under  the 
circumstances,  particularly  seeing  that  on  the  last  occasion 
on  which  he  had  the  pleasure  of  addressing  them  he  inti- 
mated that  they  were  putting  up  larger  plant  by  means  of 
which  they  hoped  to  increase  the  profits  of  the  concern. 
These  expectations  had  been  realised  in  increased  profits  and 
a  larger  trade  than  in  the  preceding  year,  which  itself  was 
an  improvement  on  its  precursor.  The  only  difference 
which  the  results  would  make  was  to  the  deferred  shareholders, 
whose  dividend  would  be  increased  from  the  usual  3  per 
cent,  to  3|  per  cent.  Having  explained  how  that  arose,  the 
outlay  including  1.700Z.  spent  on  the  Paris  Exhibition,  Mr. 
Barratt  said  against  the  1.700Z.  they  had  an  equivalent  in  the 
Grand  Prix  which  was  awarded  for  their  exhibit,  and  that 
was  the  first  time  that  any  toilet-soap  maker  qua  soap-maker 
received  such  a  reward ;  there  was  no  other  house  in  existence 
having  a  similar  honour.  Then  they  had  written  off 
950Z.  for  depreciation,  1,200/.  was  due  to  repairs,  which 
brought  the  plant  up  to  its  original  state  of  work  and  value. 
Another  1,000/.  was  due  to  increased  taxation,  arising  from 
the  greater  amount  of  property  they  had,  and  partly  from 
increased  valuation  on  the  whole  of  their  holdings,  and  to 
the  general  financial  condition  of  the  country  due  to  the 
war.  There  was  another  1.000Z.  due  to  an  unforeseen  law- 
case  in  Kansas,  where  of  all  the  scandalous  attempts  to 
imitate  their  goods  a  party  produced  the  worst,  and  he  had 
seen  some  shady  things  in  the  line  in  his  time.  It  appeared 
that  a  small  barber  there,  named  Geo.  Pears,  along  with 
another,  registered  a  company,  and  started  miking  soap  like 
that  of  this  company,  and  using  the  same  labels.  It  was 
not  for  him  (the  Chairman)  to  refer  to  the  character  of  the 
contents  of  the  packages  further  than  to  say  that  they  would 
damage  anybody's  reputation.  The  directors,  however, 
judged  it  necessary  to  apply  for  an  injunction,  which  the 
Judge  granted,  saying  that  the  name  of  Pears  was  so  well 
known  in  connection  with  the  toilet-soap  trade  as  to  amount 
almost  to  a  trade-mark. — A  Shareholder:  Does  the  injunc- 
tion apply  to  the  whole  of  the  United  States,  or  to  that 
particular  State  only  1 — Mr.  A.  Pears  :  I  was  informed  that 
it  affected  the  whole  of  the  States. — The  Chairman,  con- 
tinuing, said  the  business  was  in  a  very  healthy  state 
in  every  direction.  They  had  closed  the  San  Francisco 
place  last  autumn,  and  opened  one  in  Chicago  with 
satisfactory  results  ;  the  business  there  was  increasing, 
and  if  Mr.  Roosevelt,  the  new  President,  followed  in 
the  free-trade  footsteps  of  the  late  lamented  Mr. 
McKinley,  much  more  might  be  done  in  that  country 
in  the  future.  In  spite  of  the  political  conditions,  the 
seemingly  interminable  war  in  South  Africa,  the  com- 
petition increasing  all  over  the  world,  they  had  been  able  to 
augment  their  gross  profits,  which  he  believed  the  share- 
holders would,  as  the  directors  did,  regard  as  completely 
satisfactory. — Mr.  Fredk.  Gordon,  who  seconded  the  motion, 
mentioned  that  the  erection  and  equipment  of  the  new  works 
at  Isle  worth  had  received  the  most  assiduous  attention  from 
the  two  managing  directors  (the  Chairman  and  Mr.  A. 
Pears). — Before  putting  the  motion,  the  Chairman  remarked 
that  the  only  holders  of  deferred  shares  were  the  two 
managing  directors,  who  were  the  vendors  to  the  company, 
and  that  so  long  as  they  were  content  there  was  no  occasion 
for  anyone  else  to  complain.  He  felt  confident  that  in  the 
near  future  they  would  again  get  their  5  per  cent.,  and  per- 
haps in  time  get  as  much  as  the  ordinary  shares. — Mr.  Smith 
asked  if  the  Kansas  judge  had  inhibited  the  barber  Pears 
from  using  his  own  name  1 — The  Chairman  :  Yes.  (Laughter.) 
— At  tnis  point  the  motion  was  put,  and  carried. — On  the 
motion  of  the  Chairman,  seconded  by  Mr.  Hill,  Mr.  F. 
Gordon  was  re-elected  a  director,  and  that  gentleman 
acknowledged  the  renewed  confidence  reposed  in  him. — The 
Chairman  moved  that  dividends  of  6  per  cent,  on  the  prefer- 
ence, 10  per  i  cent,  on  the  ordinary,  and  3|  per  cent,  on  the 
deferred  ordinary  shares  be  agreed  to. — Mr.  E.  H.  Byas 
seconded,  and  this  was  agreed  to. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


745 


pharmaceutical  Society  of 
(Breat  Britain. 

NORTH  BRITISH  BRANCH. 

A MEETING  of  the  Executive  Committee  was  held  on 
Thursday,  October  24,  at  36  York  Place,  Edinburgh, 
Mr.  Peter  Boa  (Chairman)  presiding. 

Winter  Session  Arrangements. 

The  minutes  of  the  General  Purposes  Committee  were 
read,  from  which  it  appeared  that  it  had  been  arranged  to 
open  the  winter-session  series  of  scientific  meetings  with  an 
address  by  Dr.  Leonard  Dobbin,  of  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh, on  "  Certain  Aspects  of  Education  and  Examination 
in  Relation  to  the  Future  of  Pharmacy."  The  date  of  the 
day-meeting  had  been  fixed  for  January  15,  at  11  o'clock, 
but  the  committee  were  authorised  to  alter  it  should  the 
date  of  the  examinations  render  that  necessary. 

The  Carnegie  Trust. 

The  committee  further  reported  that  they  had  carefully 
considered  the  question  of  allowing  pharmaceutical  students 
to  come  within  the  benefits  of  the  Carnegie  Trust.  The 
matter  had  also  been  considered  by  the  Board  of  Examiners, 
who  had  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Professor 
Bower,  Dr.  Dobbin,  and  Mr.  J  F.  Tocher,  to  co-operate  with 
the  Executive  in  maturing  a  scheme  which  had  been  drafted 
by  Mr.  Tocher  in  consultation  with  some  of  the  professors  in 
the  University  of  Aberdeen.  The  committee  recommended 
that  they  should  be  authorised  to  further  develop  the  idea, 
and  take  the  necessary  steps  for  bringing  it  to  a  successful 
issue.    The  report  was  adopted. 

Local  Organisation. 

The  committee  reported  that  they  had  given  some  atten- 
tion to  the  arrangement  by  the  districts  of  divisional  secre- 
taries, particularly  in  Glasgow.  They  also  suggested  that  a 
general  meeting  of  Scottish  pharmacists  might  be  held  in 
Edinburgh  on  the  date  arranged  for  the  day-meeting  in 
January,  at  which  the  proposed  scheme  for  the  education  of 
pharmaceutical  students  in  Scotland  might  be  fully  con- 
sidered. It  was  not  proposed  meantime  to  arrange  district 
meetings  in  other  parts  of  Scotland,  but  such  meetings 
might  probably  be  held  subsequent  to  the  Edinburgh 
meeting.    The  minute  was  approved. 

Jubilee  of  the  N.B.  Branch. 

The  committee  recommended  that  the  jubilee  of  the 
founding  of  the  North  British  Branch,  as  well  as  the 
diamond  jubilee  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society,  might  be 
suitably  taken  notice  of,  and  they  suggested  that  the  matter 
be  submitted  to  the  Council  in  due  course.  The  Executive 
agreed  to  the  suggestion. 

The  Standing  Orders. 

In  accordance  with  a  recommendation  of  the  Committee, 
Mr.  Anderson  Russell  was  invited  to  make  a  draft  of  what  he 
desired  in  the  way  of  standing  orders. 

Nomination  of  Examiners. 
The  next  business  was  the  nomination  of  examiners,  which 
was  considered  in  committee.    On  resuming  it  was  intimated 
that  the  following  resolution  had  been  agreed  to : — 

That  Frederick  Orpen  Bower,  Professor  of  Botany  in  the 
University  of  Glasgow ;  Leonard  Dobbin,  Lecturer  in  Chemical 
Theory  and  Assistant  to  the  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh;  Peter  Boa,  Edinburgh;  Jonathan 
Lines  Eraser,  Edinburgh ;  David  Gilmour,  Dunfermline ;  Martin 
Meldrum,  Irvine  ;  John  William  Sutherland,  Glasgow ;  and  James 
Fowler  Tocher,  Peterhead,  be  nominated  to  the  Council  as 
members  of  the  Board  of  Examiners  for  Scotland  for  the  vear 
1902.  J 
The  Registration  of  Students. 

The  Executive  then  proceeded  to  consider  the  report  of 
the  special  committee  anent  the  registration  of  Scottish 
pharmaceutical  students  appointed  at  last  Executive  meeting. 
The  report  was  to  the  effect  that  the  Executive  be  recom- 


mended to  suggest  to  the  Council  that  the  College  of 
Preceptors  be  asked  to  accept  pro  tanto  for  their  second-class 
certificates  any  Leaving  certificates  of  the  Scottish  Education 
Department,  provided  such  certificates  have  been  taken  at 
one  examination. 

Mr.  Maben  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report,  and  that  the 
recommendation  be  sent  up  to  the  Council,  although  he  said 
it  was  not  quite  on  the  Hues  that  he  had  intended.  He 
thought  they  did  not  require  to  ask  the  Council  to  go  to  the 
College  of  Preceptors ;  the  Council  had  the  matter  in  their 
own  power.  He  pointed  out  that  not  more  than  10  per  cent, 
of  the  boys  who  left  the  board  and  secondary  schools  had  a 
sufficient  number  of  Leaving  certificates  to  entitle  them  to 
registration  as  pharmaceutical  students,  and  when  they  went 
to  a  chemist's  shop  and  it  was  placed  before  them,  and  they 
realised  that  they  had  to  go  through  all  the  work  again  and 
take  an  examination  on  all  these  subjects,  they  in  the 
majority  of  instances  at  once  sheered  off.  He  thought  it 
would  be  fulfilling  the  spirit  of  the  regulations  if,  when  a 
young  man  possessed,  say,  three  certificates  which  were 
perfectly  satisfactory,  they  should  be  accepted. 

The  Chairman  :  Why  not  take  two  as  well  as  three  ? 

Mr.  Maben  said  he  would  accept  any  number,  but  the 
certificates  should  be  accepted  and  the  student  allowed  to 
take  the  other  subjects.  If  the  boy  had  three  Leaving 
certificates  he  should  be  entitled  to  go  on  with  them  to  the 
Educational  Institute  of  Scotland,  or  the  University,  or  the 
Senior  Locals  if  they  were  still  in  existence,  or  to  the  College 
of  Preceptors — all  of  which  were  recognised  and  their 
certificates  accepted  by  the  Society — and  he  should  be 
allowed  to  take  his  other  three  subjects  and  be  registered. 
He  thought  the  Council  had  power  to  accept  that  under  the 
regulations.  The  local  examining  body  and  tight-laced,  red- 
tape-bound  men  might  say  that  did  not  mean  good  work. 
That  was  a  mere  quibble.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Council 
had  gone  through  that  already,  and  had  agreed  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  accepting  the  certificates  of  two  separate  bodies  for 
registration.  The  committee  refused  to  go  this  length,  and! 
consequently  the  recommendation  was  put  in  the  form  that 
they  approach  the  Council,  and  ask  them  to  go  to  the 
College  of  Preceptors  and  get  them  to  accept  these  certi- 
ficates. His  view  was  that  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  was 
not  a  body  that  ought  to  go  cap  in  hand  to  a  body  like  the 
College  of  Preceptors  and  ask  this.  He  thought  the 
Executive  should  ask  the  Council  to  take  the  thing  into  their 
own  hands.  He  believed  it  would  do  good.  Mr.  Maben 
was  proceeding,  when 

The  Chairman  reminded  him  that  this  was  a  public 
meeting,  and  that  he  was  not  entitled  to  bring  up  a  private 
matter  there. 

Mr.  Maben  said  he  would  make  it  as  public  as  they  liked. 
He  thought  the  Council  had  made  a  mistake  in  giving  up 
their  privilege  of  examining  Preliminary  candidates.  It 
had  been  the  greatest  mistake,  and  if  the  Council  were  a 
strong  Council  they  would  recognise  their  mistake  and  alter 
their  rules  at  once.  He  knew  they  would  tell  them  from 
London  that  Scotland  moved  in  this  matter.  If  Scotland 
did  move  in  the  mitter  it  was  the  easier  for  London  to  give 
them  the  blame  and  do  the  right  thing.  So  far  as  he  was 
concerned,  Scotland  had  clean  hands  in  the  matter.  He  was 
going  to  say  this,  that  he  stated  

The  Chairman  again  interrupted  and  said :  I  must  ask 
you  to  be  very  careful  in  your  remarks.  I  do  not  think  you 
are  in  order  in  libelling  the  Council  here. 

Mr.  Maben  said  he  wished  to  be  as  friendly  as  possible  to 
the  Council.  What  he  was  going  to  say  was  that  he  stated 
in  public  two  years  ago  at  a  meeting  which  was  reported  in 
the  journals,  that  this  was  a  great  mistake,  and  that  he  had 
always  opposed  it.  He  stated  then  that  the  Council  would 
lose  600Z.  a  year,  and  he  was  afterwards  asked  by  a  friend  if 
he  had  not  made  a  mistake.  Instead  of  saying  600Z.  he 
should  have  said  1,000Z.,  and  now  1,000?.  would  be  nothing 
to  it ;  it  was  at  least  2,0002.  He  was  absolutely  certain  that 
every  penny  of  the  surplus  would  go.  But  he  did  not  look 
at  it  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  finances  of  the  Society, 
although  he  thought  the  Council  should  have  regard  to  that. 
He  looked  at  the  future  of  pharmacy  in  the  country,  and  he 
thought  they  would  be  in  a  complete  box — that  they  would 
be  led  into  a  cul-de-sac  from  which  there  would  be  no 
outlet.  There  was  no  getting  over  this  fact  that  at  the 
present  moment  the  men  coming  into  the  trade  were 

D 


746 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


anqualified  to  begin  with,  and  the  majority  of  them  would 
remain  unqualified,  and  they  would  thus  be  breeding  a  lot 
of  unqualified  assistants  who  would  be  strong  enough  some 
day  to  go  to  Parliament  and  insist  on  being  recognised  in 
some  way,  and  the  Socitty  would  have  to  retrace  ics  steps. 
In  the  meantime  he  thought  they  should  ask  the  Council  to 
accept  the  Leaving  certificates  of  boys  from  school  and  allow 
them  to  go  forward  for  the  others.  He  would  m-we  the 
adoption  of  the  report,  but  he  would  prefer  that  it  should  be 
altered  in  that  way. 

In  answer  to  questions  b/  the  Chairman  Mr.  Mabex 
admitted  that  his  proposal  would  bring  the  standard  beljw 
the  level  of  that  of  the  Universities,  and  tbat  under  the  report 
students  would  be  debarred  from  the  benefits  of  the  Carnegie 
Trust.  He  then  said  he  would  prefer  to  move  an  addendum 
to  the  report,  and  he  ultimately  withdrew  his  motiou  for 
its  adoption. 

Some  discussion  followed,  in  which  it  was  suggested  to 
remit  the  report  for  further  consideration. 

Mr.  Maben  objected  to  delay,  but  ultimately  a  motion, 
proposed  by  Mr.  Anderson  Russell  and  seconded  by  Mr. 
Henrv,  was  adopted  that  the  report  be  remitted  back  to  the 
committee  for  further  consideration,  together  with  the  whole 
question  of  the  First  examination  so  far  as  it  affected 
Scotland. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Maben,  seconded  by  Mr.  McAdam, 
the  Executive  agreed  to  send  a  letter  of  congratulation  to 
Mr.  Henry  Bellyse  Baildon  on  his  appointment  as  Professor 
of  English  Literature  in  St.  Andrews  University. 

This  was  all  the  business. 


IRevievvs. 


Pharmacopedia:  A  Commentary  on  the  British  Pharma- 
copoeia, 1898.  By  Edmund  White,  B.Sc.  (Lond.),  F.I.C., 
and  John  Humphrey.  Cr.  4to.  Pp.  xvi  +  696.  14s.  net. 
London,  1901 :  Henry  Kimpton. 

Two  months  ago  we  published  a  preliminary  note  upon 
this  work,  when  we  said :— «'  Short  of  the  actual  handling  of 
materials  and  practical  experience  in  analysis  and  manufac- 
ture, '  Pharmacopedia '  will  give  students  of  pharmacy  all 
the  information  they  require  on  the  botany,  chemistry,  and 
pharmacy  of  official  medicines,  and  it  will  be,  within  limita- 
tions which  we  need  not  define  until  the  complete  work  is 
available,  a  good  reference-book  for  working  pharmacists." 
The  volume  itself  is  now  ready,  and,  after  careful  perusal  of 
it,  we  see  no  reason  for  altering  the  opinion  that  we  had 
formed  of  the  high  value  of  Messrs.  White  and  Humphrey's 
work.  Indeed,  our  opinion  is  more  than  confirmed,  and  we 
feel  that  "Pharmacopedia"  will  become  one  of  the  best- 
known  English  works  on  pharmacy  in  the  widest  sense. 

After  the  preface  the  authors  give  some  very  sound  advice 
to  students  in  respect  to  the  study  of  the  British  Pharma- 
copoeia ;  then  follows  a  most  useful  list  of  works  of  reference 
in  botany,  chemistry,  pharmacognosy,  pharmacy,  and  mis- 
cellaneous pharmaceutical  literature,  to  which  are  added  a 
list  of  British  Pharmacopoeia  corrigenda,  and  a  short  list 
applying  to  the  book  itself.  The  book  proper  then  begins 
with  Acacia  gummi  and  goes  right  through  the  British 
Pharmacopoeia  monographs  to  Zingiber,  which  concludes  on 
page  534.  This  is  followed  by  notes  on  the  Indian  and 
Coloniil  Addendum  to  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  which 
occupy  exactly  29  pages.  Next  there  are  a  list  of  atomic 
weights,  weights  and  measures,  with  equivalents  of  the 
metric  and  imperial  standards  as  regards  length,  mass  and 
capacity,  a  table  of  thermometric  equivalents,  and  the 
Pharmacopedia  Atlas,  which  is  a  supplement  consisting  of 
46  plates,  being  facsimiles  of  black-and-white  drawings  of 
the  more  important  official  drugs,  with  sections  thereof.  The 
work  is  completed  by  an  exhaustive  index  extending  to 
20  pages  of  small  type  and  containing  several  thousand 
references.  The  size  of  the  book  differs  from  any  other 
pharmaceutical  text-book  that  we  know  of;  it  is  9  J  inches 
deep  by  1\  wide,  and  the  binding  is  a  red  cloth  similar  to 
that  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  but  in  this  iustance  the 
edges  are  marbled  uniformly  with  the  end-papers.  The  book 
teas  been  beautifully  printed  in  a  new  fount  oE  type  by  the 


Clements  Printing-works  (Limited),  and  it  is  remarkably  free 
from  errors. 

We  find  that  our  preliminary  references  to  the  book  fairly 
well  covered  its  chief  features,  but  we  may  repeat  that  the 
authors  are  at  their  best  in  their  descriptions  of  the  more 
important  galenical  processes,  such  as  those  involved  in  the 
preparation  of  extracts,  liquors,  ointments,  tinctures,  and  so 
on ;  and  in  the  descriptions  of  chemical  processes  and 
reactions  involved  ia  the  testing  or  assaying  of  medicines 
they  exhibit  a  lucidity  of  expression  which  is  rare  in  books 
dealing  with  practical  pharmacy.  We  also  observe  in  the 
pages  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  commerce  of 
drugs  than  it  is  usual  to  find  in  text-books,  and  the  chemistry 
of  drugs  is  also  well  up  to  date.  This  is  a  department  in 
which  text-book  writers  are  usually  either  careless  or  neglect- 
ful, contenting  themselves  with  traditional  information,  and 
rarely  regarding  more  recent  researches  as  of  sufficient 
importance  to  justify  their  departure  from  the  beaten  track. 
The  present  authors  have  departed  from  tradition  by  in- 
corporating their  knowledge  of  current  literature  with  the 
text  in  a  straightforward  way  without  a'tempt  at  argument. 
For  example,  under  Hamamelis  the  superiority  of  hama- 
melin  made  with  strong  alcohol  is  noted — that  fact  was 
noticed  at  Dublin  in  August ;  under  Ipecacuanha  the  three 
known  alkaloids  are  mentioned,  and  all  about  them ;  under 
Olea  we  find  excellent  notes  on  the  constitution  and  exami- 
nation of  fixed  oils,  fats,  waxes  and  essential  oils,  while 
generally  the  alkaloidal  chemistry  is  up  to  date.  Undoubtedly 
the  book  appeals  primarily  to  students  of  pharmacy  (Major 
as  well  as  Minor),  for  they  will  not  be  slow  to  appreciate  the 
fact  that  one  of  the  authors  is  an  experienced  examiner,  and 
he  gives  them  tips  which  they  will  find  of  value.  Apart 
from  that,  the  educative  character  of  the  work  alone  entitles 
it  to  recognition.  It  is  also  a  book  of  reference  to  those  for 
whom  examination  no  longer  has  terrors,  although  it  does 
not  go  beyond  the  four  corners  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and 
even  excludes  doses  and  therapeutics.  Probably  the  authors 
will  see  their  way  to  include  the  latter  in  their  next  edition, 
as  a  matter  of  business,  if  for  nothing  else. 

A  Dictionary  of  Practical  Materia  Medica.  By  JOHN 
Henry  Clarke,  M.D.,  in  two  vols.  10  x  6.  Vol.  I., 
pp.  951 ;  Vol.  II.,  pp.  1,560.  31.  3s.  buckram,  31.  12s.  6d. 
balf  morocco.  (Homoeopathic  Publishing  Company, 
12  Warwick  Lane,  E.C.) 

Dr.  Clarke  has  done  good  service  to  homoeopathy  in 
compiling  the  records  of  all  remedies  of  which  definite  use 
has  been  recorded  in  homoeopathic  literature.  Vol.  I.,  which 
lies  before  us,  gives  a  list  of  some  450  remedies,  in  alpha- 
betical order,  from  A  to  H,  and  under  each  remedy  is  to  be 
found  all  the  practical  information  which  it  has  been 
possible  to  bring  together.  The  monographs  give  first  t^e 
synonyms,  natural  order,  and  form  in  which  the  remedy  is 
used,  clinical  indications,  characteristics,  relations,  causa- 
tion, and  the  schema,  the  last  enumerating  the  symptoms 
under  twenty-seven  headings.  This  will  serve  to  show  the 
completeness  and  scope  of  the  work.  To  meet  objections 
which  are  likely  to  be  made  to  the  title  of  the  book  Dr. 
Clarke  says  that  although  homoeopathy  is  from  first  to  last 
an  art  of  individualising,  it  is  convenient  to  think  of 
remedies  in  connection  with  the  diseases  in  the  treatment  of 
which  they  are  most  frequently  called  for.  The  book  is 
excellently  produced,  and  of  great  value  as  a  reference  work 
to  homoeopathic  physic;ans  and  pharmacists. 

First  Aid  to  the  Injured  and  Sick:  an  Ambulance  Hand- 
book. By  F.  J.  Warwick,  B.A.,  and  A.  C.  Tunstall. 
M.D.  6£  x  4.  Pp.  228.  Illust.  2s.  6d.  Bristol :  J, 
Wright  &  Co. 

The  first  part  of  this  book  gives  a  brief  outline  of  the 
structure  and  functions  of  the  human  body,  as  to  render 
efficient  first  aid  the  student  must  be  prepared  with  some 
knowledge  of  anatomy  and  physiology.  The  second  part 
deals  with  the  subject  of  bandaging,  the  illustrations  simpli- 
fying the  description  of  the  various  methods.  Then  follow 
the  treatment  of  haemorrhage,  wounds,  dislocations,  and 
fractures,  and  what  to  do  in  poisoning,  burns,  and  scalds, 
and  some  other  medical  matters,  which  makes  the  book  a 
useful  one  for  sale  by  chemists,  especially  in  view  of  the 
commencement  of  the  ambulance- class  season. 


November  2,  1901 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


747 


Scientific  progress. 


Salicylic  Acid  In  Natural  Fruits. — If  the  researches 
MM.  Portes  and  Desmouheres  are  to  be  depended  upon,  it  will 
be  very  necessary  for  public  analysts  to  be  extremely  guarded  in 
their  condemnation  of  preparations  of  fruit  in  which  minute 
quantities  of  salicylic  acid  are  found.  According  to  these 
chemists,  strawberries  and  preparations  of  this  fruit  normally 
contain  small  quantities  of  salicylic  acid,  which  was  probably 
present  originally  in  the  form  of  methyl  salicylate.  If  this  is 
true  in  the  case  of  strawberries,  it, is  quite  possible  that  it  may  be 
the  case  with  other  fruits ;  hence  the  greatest  care  will  be  neces- 
sary before  a  confection  is  pronounced  adulterated  when  minute 
quantities  of  the  well-known  preservative  are  found  in  it. — (Journal 
de  Pharmaeie.  1901,  432.) 

Yellow  Lupin. — Willstater  publishes  in  the  current  issue  of 
the  Pharmaceutische  Zeitung  (1901,  788)  an  account  of  his  in- 
vestigations on  the  crystallisable  alkaloid  of  the  yellow  lupin. 
The  formula  which  has  hitherto  been  assigned  to  this  alkaloid  is 
CojHmN^Oi,  but  the  present  investigations  prove  that  this  is  in- 
correct, and  that  it  must  be  modified  to  C10HK1NO.  A  study  of 
its  behaviour  towards  strong  oxidising-agents,  such  as  per- 
manganate of  potassium  in  sulphuric  acid,  show  that  it  is  a  fully- 
saturated  compound  containing  a  double-ring  system.  By  the 
action  of  chromic  acid  it  yields  a  well-defined  crystalline  acid 
which  has  been  termed  lupinic  acid— a  carboxylic  acid  of  the 
formula  C,,H,,;N.COOH.  A  close  examination  of  lupinin  proves 
it  to  be  a  primary  alcohol,  yielding  well-defined  primary  esters. 

Condianin. — Thorns  has  extracted  from  the  leaves  and  bark 
of  Cordia  excelsa  a  crystalline  compound  to  which  he  has 
assigned  the  name  cordianin.  The  material  was  extracted  with 
hot  alcohol,  and  the  residue  after  the  evaporation  of  the  solvent 
dissolved  in  hot  water.  The  filtered  aqueous  extract  was  then 
evaporated  to  the  thickness  of  a  thin  syrup.  Crystals  of  the  new 
compound  separated  on  allowing  the  liquid  to  cool  and  stand  for 
a  time.  The  leaves  yielded  0'266  per  cent.,  and  the  bark  0'78  per 
cent.  After  several  recrystallisations  from  alcohol,  the  compound 
was  obtained  in  colourless  tabular  crystals,  which  on  analysis 
yielded  results  in  agreement  with  the  formula  C4H6N40-.  The 
melting-point  was  224-°  C,  with  simultaneous  decomposition.  It 
is,  however,  very  probable  that  this  compound  is  identical  with 
the  already  known  allantoine. 

Neroli  Oil. — Hesse  publishes,  in  conjunction  with  Zeitschel, 
in  the  Jour.f.  Prakt.  Chemie  (1901,  64,  245),  a  long  paper  on  the 
examination  of  oils  of  orange-flower  obtained  in  different  methods. 
The  authors  show  that  when  the  flowers  are  distilled  about  one- 
third  of  the  essential  oil  contained  in  them  passes  into  the 
distillation-water,  only  about  two-thirds  being  separated.  The 
oil  extracted  from  the  distillation-water  was  examined  and  found 
to  have  a  sp.gr.  of  0  950,  and  an  optical  rotation  of  +2°.  it 
contained  esters  equivalent  to  25  2  per  cent,  of  linalyl  acetate.  A 
direct  estimation  of  the  methyl  anthranilate  gave  16  per  cent. 
The  oil  obtained  by  extracting  the  flowers  with  a  volatile  solvent 
gave  the  following  figures  : — Sp.  gr.,  0-907 ;  methyl  anthranilate, 
7'6  per  cent.  The  oil  obtained  by  extracting  the  pomade  of  the 
-flowers  gave  sp.  gr.  0-913,  and  methyl  anthranilate  9'2  per  cent. 
The  authors  have  also  detected  in  the  water  of  distillation  of 
orange-flowers,  geraniol,  phenyl-ethyl  alcohol,  and  phenyl  acetic 
acid.    They  are  further  examining  this  water. 

Ferrum  Redactum.— Dr.  A.  Marquardt,  of  the  laboratory 
of  the  German  Gold  and  Silver  Refining  Establishment,  draws 
attention  [Chem.  Zeit.,71,  743)  to  the  pharmacopceial  methods 
of  estimating  metallic  iron  in  ferrum  redactum.  He  says  that 
the  earlier  editions  of  the  German  Pharmacopoeia  made  use  of 
the  reaction  of  metallic  iron  with  mercuric  chloride, but  considers 
that  it  is  only  when  the  latter  is  in  considerable  excess  that  the 
reaction  is  complete.  In  this  respect  the  method  of  the  Ph.G., 
1882  1 0-3  gramme  ferrum  redactum  with  50  grammes  sol.  of 
mercuric  chloride,  1  in  20),  has  been  wrongly  abandoned  ;  from 
experience  in  his  laboratory  it  has  always  yielded  exactly  con- 
cordant results.  The  Ph.G.,  1890,  makes  use  of  theoretical 
proportions,  and  these  being  insufficient  in  respect  to  the 
mercuric  chloride,  the  required  90  per  cent,  cannot  be  obtained. 
The  U.S. P.  method  also  suffers  from  this  objection.  The  mercuric- 
chloride  method  was  criticised  by  Seubert,  who  decided  that 
1  gramme  of  ferrum  redactum  requires  at  least  5  grammes  of 
mercuric  chloride.  He  mentions  another  method,  proposed  by 
Wolfrun,  who  measured  the  amount  of  hydrogen  evolved  when  a 
certain  weight  of  ferrum  redactum  is  acted  upon  by  dilute  hydro- 
chloric acid.  He  refers  to  Schmidt's  method,  which  suggests  the 
use  of  iodine  and  thiosulphate,  and  also  that  E.  Peck  has  found 
this  method  to  give  too  low  results,  but  that  when  less  water 
is  used  a  good  reaction  follows.  This  fact  has  been  well  esta- 
blished in  his  own  laboratory.  The  P.G.,  IV.,  has  adopted  the 
Schmidt  method,  but  with  insufficient  modifications.  The  author 
flraws  attention  to  a  paragraph  in  Merck's  Year-book,1900,  under 


"  Ferrum  Redactum,"  where  it  is  considered  desirable  to  sub- 
stitute for  the  10  c.c.  KI  solution  (as  directed  by  the  P.G.,  IV.)  a 
solution  of  1  gramme  KI  in  4  c.c.  of  water.  He  fully  endorses 
Merck's  opinion,  and,  finally,  describes  in  detail  his  mode  of 
working  the  P.G.,  IV,  method  by  using  a  stoppered  flask  of 
25-c.c.  capacity  and  shaking  for  ten  minutes  continuously,  then 
allowing  it  to  stand  for  two  hours.  If,  however,  4  c.c.  sol.  KI  be 
used  instead  of  10  c.c,  it  need  only  stand  an  hour.  The  author's 
results  vary  from  93  7  per  cent,  to  94  4  per  cent,  of  iron  in  ferrum 
redactum. 


Hmencan  IRotee. 


Consumption  of  Arsenic. — Tbe  consumption  of  arsenic 
and  arsenical  compounds  in  the  United  States  is  about  equal 
to  the  imports,  which  amounted  in  1900  to  5,765  559  lbs., 
valued  at  #265.500,  and  in  1899  to  9,040.871  lbs.,  valued  at 
#386,791.  The  greater  part  of  this  is  white  arsenic.  All 
of  the  supplies  for  the  United  States  come  from  England  and 
Germany,  except  a  very  small  amount  that  is  imported  from 
Canada. 

Drug-tba.de  Bowlers.  —  A  new  drug-trade  bowling 
organisation  has  been  formed  in  New  York  to  take  the  place 
of  the  old  association,  which  has  been  disbanded.  The  list 
of  new  firms  who  at  present  comprise  the  new  organisation 
are  Messrs.  Dodge  &  Olcott,  Seabury  &  Johnson,  Johnson  & 
Johnson,  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.,  Colgate  &Co.,  Lannan  &  Kemp, 
the  General  Chemical  Company,  the  National  Lead  Com- 
pany, and  Church  and  the  Dwight  Company.  Messrs.  Merck 
&  Co.  have  retired  from  the  association.  Messrs.  Powers  & 
Weightman  and  Messrs.  Roessler  &  Hasslacher  have  applied 
for  admission  and  were  favourably  received,  but  the  applica- 
tion of  Messrs.  Ricketts  &  Banks  for  admission  has  been 
refused.    Reid's  alleys  have  been  engaged  for  the  season. 

N.W.D.A.  Meeting. — The  twenty-seventh  convention  of 
the  National  Wholesale  Druggists'  Association  took  place  at 
Old  Point  Comfort,  Va  ,  on  October  15.  There  was  a  good 
attendance  of  members  and  representatives  from  the 
American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  the  Pharmaceutical 
Associations  of  New  York  State,  New  Jersey  and  Maine,  and 
the  National  Association  of  Retail  Druggists  were  present. 
In  the  course  of  his  address  the  President  (Mr.  William  J. 
Walker)  called  attention  to  the  wonderful  and  continued 
prosperity  of  the  country.  The  druggist's  business  as  a 
whole  was  on  a  substantial  basis,  no  serious  failures  having 
overtaken  their  members.  In  speaking  of  the  rebate-plan, 
he  said  "  the  jobbers  believe  in  the  cause  of  the  retail 
dealers,  and  that  they  are  entitled  to  and  should  receive  a 
liberal  compensation  in  the  handling  of  all  proprietary  goods. 
The  ret iil  dealers  are  in  earnest,  know  what  they  want  to 
accomplish,  and  are  endeavouring  by  intelligent  and  proper 
action  to  bring  about  needed  changes."  He  suggested  the 
establishment  of  a  new  standing  committee  to  confer  with  the 
various  business  consolidations  as  required.  The  committee  on 
legislation  in  its  report  expressed  the  opinion  that  steps 
should  be  directed  towards  securing  a  reduction  in  the 
internal  revenue  tax  on  alcohol,  or,  if  that  were  found  un- 
practicable,  towards  obtaining  free  alcohol  for  use  in  the 
arts  and  sciences. 


Soutb  Hfrfcan  IRews. 

(From  our  Colonial  Correspondents.) 


A  Clean  Bill. — The  official  plague-list  for  the  week 
ended  October  5  shows  the  gradual  decrease  of  the  disease. 
No  fresh  cases  are  reported  either  in  the  Cape  Peninsula  or 
at  Port  Elizibeth. 

The  Tobacco-boom. — Applications  for  the  registration  of 
trade-marks  in  connection  with  tobaccos  have  been  heavy  of 
late,'  and  upwards  of  half  a  dozen  were  recorded  at  Cape 
Town  the  week  before  the  mail  left. 

The  New  Licences  for  the  second  half-year  ending 
December  31,  1901,  which  were  lately  issued  in  Bloem- 

fontein,  Orange  River  Colony,  invaded  the  following:  

Chemists  and  druggists :  Lennon  (Limited)  ;  Manager,  Mr. 
W.  Feint. 


748 


THE  CHEMIST  AND  DRUGGIST 


November  2,  1901 


"A  Successful  Shuffle." — The  Queen's  Town  Free 
Press  observes,  in  connection  -with  the  recent  verdict  in 
favour  of  the  local  municipality  against  Dr.  Sterne  (see 
C.  4-  D.,  October  19,  page  633,  and  October  26,  page  676), 
that  the  public  conscience  of  the  town  has  been  outraged  by 
the  position  taken  up  by  the  Mayor  and  Town  Council,  but 
adds :  "  Without  a  direct  mandate  from  the  ratepayers  it  is 
very  doubtful  whether  the  Council  can  do  anything  in  face 
of  the  judgment."  The  sum  originally  tendered  to  the 
doctor  was  60  guineas,  and  it  is  probable  that  some  of 
Queen's  Town's  prominent  men  will  see  that  the  medico  gets 
his  dues. 

The  Fobeign  Medico. — At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Cape 
Medical  Council,  Dr.  Gregory  proposed  that  in  future  only 
such  medical  men  should  be  licensed  to  practise  in  the 
Colony  as  possessed  a  British  qualification.  He  did  not 
cairy  his  resolution,  but  it  will  be  brought  up  again  at  the 
next  meeting.  An  "  M.D.,"  writing  in  the  Cape  Times,  warns 
the  English  members  to  be  on  the  alert  and  assist  Dr. 
Gregory  in  his  efforts,  and  declares  that  everybody  knows 
that  the  Continental  men  so  admitted  turn  in  a  very  short 
time  against  English  interests.  Id  commenting  on  the  fore- 
going our  Cape  correspondent  points  out  that  more  than  half 
the  licences  issued  during  the  present  year  have  been  to 
foreigners.  Exception  has  been  taken  to  American  prac- 
titioners, but,  as  the  Council  is  in  no  way  bound  to  accept 
or  even  consider  American  diplomas,  although  they  in- 
variably do  so  out  of  courtesy,  it  is  difficult  to  see  the  force 
of  this  argument.  The  Colonial  Medical  Council  publishes 
the  fact  that  they  will  accept  certain  certificates,  and  the 
whole  thing  resolves  itself  into  one  of  politics,  which  nothing 
bat  legislation  can  alter.  No  doubt  it  is  to  that  end  that 
Dr.  Gregory  is  working.  Unfortunately,  it  is  a  disagreeable 
truism  that,  speaking  collectively,  Continental  medicos  who 
settle  in  South  Africa  lose  little  of  their  antipathy  to  every- 
thing British,  and  in  many  instances  go  out  of  their  way  to 
show  it.    There  are  exceptions,  of  course,  but  they  are  few. 

The  Metric  System  in  South  Africa. — At  a  meeting 
of  the  South  African  Philosophical  Society,  held  at  Cape 
Town  on  October  2,  the  principal  discussion  related  to  the 
proposed  introduction  of  the  decimal  system  into  the 
country.  The  subject  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Hutchins,  who 
pointed  out  the  advantages  of  the  system  from  a  business 
point  of  view.  All  the  important  countries  of  the  world, 
with  the  exception  of  England,  India,  Persia,  and  Tunis  (!), 
have  decimal  coinage,  and  consular  reports  state  that  the 
introduction  of  the  metric  system  has  assisted  the  development 


A  Group  of  Army  Compounders. 


(From  Lett  to  Eight.) 
Hack  Bow. — J.  F.  Chalmers,  A.  Hanna,  J.  Eadie,  J.  W.  Kerr. 

Middle  Bow. — L.  C.  A.  Eastmead,  F.  G  Cook,  H.  L.  Carter,  J.  Gleeson,  W.  Jordan. 
Front  Bow.— A.  L.  Briggs,  A.  Birss,  E.  Tyrrell,  F.  Eager,  E.  Costello,  E.  Carter. 


of  the  trade  of  those  countries  that  have  adopted  it.  The 
change  could  be  effected  (as  regards  coinage)  in  South 
Africa  without  any  trouble.  At  present  they  have  the 
pound,  the  florin  (J5th  part  of  the  pound),  and  the  "  tickey  " 
(South  Afiican  tor  a  threepenny-piece),  which  is  nearly 
one-tenth  of  the  florin.  Mr.  Hutchins  therefore  suggests 
that  the  decimal  coinage  of  South  Africa  should  consist  of 
pounds,  florins,  and  "tickeys."  The  "tickey,"  instead  of 
having  a  face-value  of  3d.,  would  be  a  trifle  below  Z\d.,  and 
the  place  of  the  penny  would  be  taken  by  the  "  half -tickey," 
with  a  value  of  \\d.  With  regard  to  the  changes  in  weights 
and  measures,  he  admits  there  would  be  a  good  deal  more 
trouble,  but  urges  that  the  disadvantages  during  the  period 
of  transition  from  the  standard  weights  and  measures  to 
those  of  the  decimal  system  would  be  outweighed  in  a  few 
years  by  the  increased  advantages  which  would  accrue  from 
easier  trading  with  decimal  countries.  The  sum  of  his 
suggestions  are  tabulated  thus  : — 

Coinage.— 11.  equals  10  florins  equals  100  tickeys. 

Length. — 1  kilometre  equals  1,000  metric  yards  ormetrea  equals- 
100,000  metric  inches  or  centimetres. 

Area. — 1  hectare  (10,000  metric  square  yards)  equals  100  acres. 

Capacity. — ]  metric  muid  (or  de'eistere)  equals  10  bi-gallons 
equals  100  metric  quarts  or  litres. 

Weight.— 1  metric  ton  equals  1,000  bi-pounds  or  kilogrammes 
equals  1,000,000  grammes. 

The  weights  in  Cape  Colony  at  present  are  the  same  as 
the  British,  with  the  exception  of  the  cwt.,  which  is  reckoned 
at  100  lbs.  A  ton  is  equal  to  2,000  lb.  The  President  of 
the  Society,  Sir  David  Gill,  Minister  of  Education  for  the 
Cape,  deprecated  the  introduction  of  a  new  nomenclature  as 
suggested  by  Mr.  Hutchins,  although  he  was  perfectly  agreed 
that  the  present  "  idiotic "  system  of  measures  should  be 
abolished.  He  thought  the  best  plan  would  be  to  appoint  a 
committee  to  deal  with  the  matter.  This  was  ultimately 
agreed  to,  and  a  committee,  consisting  of  Sir  David  Gill, 
Dr.  Muir,  Dr.  Beattie,  Professor  Thomson,  Dr.  Crawford, 
Mr.  Littlewood,  and  Mr.  Hutchins  was  appointed  to  prepare 
a  report  on  the  advisability  of  introducing  or  legalising  the 
metric  system  of  weights,  measures,  and  coinage  in  South 
Africa. 


THE  LATEST  ADVENTURERS. 

Herewith  we  reproduce  from  a  photograph  expressly 
taken  for  The  Chemist  and  Druggist  by  First-class 
Staff-Sergeant  Piens,  R.A.M.C.,  a  group  of  specially  enlisted 
compounders  at  present  undergoing  a 
course  of  military  instruction  at  the 
Cambridge  Hospital,  Aldershot,  prior  to 
proceeding  to  South  Africa.  Beneath  the 
illustration  is  a  key  to  the  identity  of  this 
fit-looking  body  of  dispensers. — Volunteer- 
Compounders  A.  L.  Briggs,  E.  Costello, 
and  MacDonald  are  under  orders  for 
St.  Helena,  and  will  embark  on  the 
morning  of  November  3.  Compounders 
E.  Costello,  L.P.S.I.,  W.  Jordan,  L  P.S.L, 
A.  Hanna,  R.D.,  and  S.  Fleming  are  well 
known  in  Irish  pharmaceutical  circles, 
and  their  many  friends  both  here  and  in 
Ireland  will  miss  them,  but  in  parting 
wish  them  ion  voyage,  health,  and  a  safe 
return.— Volunteer-Compounder  Edmund 
Barnes,  L.P.S.I.,  has  returned  from  active 
service  in  South  Africa,  after  doing  duty 
on  the  s.s.  Orient  on  the  voyage  home  as 
dispenser-in-charge. 

Rinderpest. — The  present  outbreak  of 
rinderpest  in  Cape  Colony  is  reported  not 
to  be  of  such  a  virulent  nature  as  the 
last ;  so  far,  the  younger  cattle  only  have 
suffered  from  its  ravages. 

New  Cape  M.O.H.— Dr.  A.  Jasper  An- 
derson, of  Blackpool,  who  was  recently 
appointed  Medical  Officer  of  Health  to  the 
Corporation  of  Cape  Town,  arrived  at  the 
colonial  capital  on  October  1,  and  took 
over  his  duties  immediately.